


Love in Season

by jazzy2017



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Family Bonding, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:48:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 79,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21554140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jazzy2017/pseuds/jazzy2017
Summary: Prince Vegeta granted himself a brief relief from battle between the legs of Bulma, a slave from Earth. Growing attached, Vegeta freed Bulma and returned to war. She loved him, but knew the two could not be together. She kept her pregnancy a secret. 8 years later, now a war hero, Vegeta meets Trunks in a crowd and unknowingly becomes his son's mentor. Lost love reblossoms again.
Relationships: Bulma Briefs/Vegeta
Comments: 133
Kudos: 399





	1. Chapter 1

**Love in Season**

**Ch. 1**

“Order up!” Bulma called, passing another order slip to the cook, “Finish up your breakfast, Trunks.” 

Trunks scarfed down the remnants of his eggs and took a bite out of his toast. 

“Mom, look he’s coming here today! Oolong, can you turn it up?” 

Oolong turned up the TV as the news reporter described the scene. 

“And today West City welcomes Prince Vegeta. The Prince has chosen West City as one of the coveted destinations on his victory tour throughout the galaxy.” 

Bulma set down a coffee mug, watching her son. His blue eyes danced as the scene replayed Vegeta’s prior battles in glorious fanfare. 

“He’s so cool! I can’t believe Prince Vegeta chose us out of all the places on Earth. I can’t even believe he chose Earth.” 

Bulma took the boy’s plate, “Well a lot of Saiyans have relocated to Earth since the war began, like Goku.” 

Trunks perked up at the name, “Yeah, Goten said that Goku even fought beside the Prince in the war. Goten’s gonna see if his dad can have him meet the Prince. Cool huh?” 

Bulma wasn’t taking the bait, “That would be something.” 

The smile on Trunk’s face ebbed away as he mulled over his next question, “Hey, mom. You know this parade is a pretty big deal and-” 

Bulma walked away from the counter and began preparing another cup of coffee. 

“You’re not going to that parade. We’ve already discussed this. I expect you to be in school, young man.” 

“Mom! That’s not fair,” Trunks wailed as Goten and Chi Chi walked in the diner.” 

“What’s with all the noise?” Chi Chi asked. 

Trunks whipped toward the woman, “Mom said I can’t go to the parade. I’m half-Saiyan; this is my heritage!” 

Chi Chi folded her arms with a huff, “That’s all? You don’t need to be celebrating violence with those brutes. I told Goten the same thing. School is much more important.” 

Chi Chi shot Goten a look. The boy scuffed his feet against the linoleum floor and mumbled his agreement. Trunks’s shoulders slouched and he sighed in defeat. Wordlessly, Trunks grabbed his backpack. 

“You ready for school, Goten?” He asked quietly. 

Bulma walked out around the counter. She ruffled Trunks’s hair and planted a kiss on his forehead. 

“I know it’s not fair, but we’re doing this to keep you two safe. Have a good day at school, honey.” 

Trunks pouted, but didn’t fight the woman’s kiss, choosing instead to levitate to the door. 

“Trunks, wait! I still can’t fly fast!” Goten said, lifting off. 

The two boys fly to school, leaving their mothers in the diner. Bulma watched her son from the window until he was only a dot in the horizon. 

“There I go being the bad mom again,” Bulma spoke, taking a seat. 

“You’re raising him by yourself; you’re going to have to be the bad guy sometimes,” Chi Chi retorted, “Maybe you can get some help from his battle-loving father, Mr. War hero.” 

“Chi Chi, not so loud!” Bulma said, watching the other patrons. She lowered her voice, “You know I can’t. Vegeta doesn’t even know he has a son. I just can’t have Trunks exposed to that Saiyan world. They’re brutal.” 

Chi Chi laughed, “You don’t have to convince me! It’s bad enough that Radditz will be with us until Vegeta leaves. Goku already eats me out of house and home, but when he gets with his brother, it’s chaos.” 

“Good old Goku, always ready for a fight,” Bulma chuckled, “Well I need to get back to work. These tips won’t make themselves.” 

* * *

Trunks checked his watch again. Only one minute until lunch. Trunks placed his books in his backpack and bolted out as soon as the bell rang. Goten ran after him. 

“Wow, you are really excited for lunch today!” 

“No, you idiot! We’re skipping lunch and going to meet Prince Vegeta!” Trunks grinned. 

Goten frowned, “Don’t call me an idiot and I’m not going! My uncle Radditz might be there. If he tells my mom I skipped, I’ll be grounded forever.” 

Trunks rolled his eyes and fastened his backpack, “Fine. Stay if you want, but I’m going to meet Prince Vegeta and show him a new trick I learned. My mom will get over me lying to her once I get a position on the Royal Saiyan Force and all our problems will be over!” 

Goten looked less than enthused, but Trunks wasn’t going to let his friend’s attitude dampen his mood. He was about to meet the Prince. 

**This story has been rattling in my head and I finally started to write it out. I’m still debating if I want to switch between past and present tense to show how** **Vegeta** **and** **Bulma** **got together. It may be a prequel, but review and let me know how you like it so far!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Love in Season**

**Ch. 2**

Bulma watched a reel, replaying Vegeta’s triumphs over the last decade. His face remained unchanged by time. Stern, striking features over olive skin. The screen showed Vegeta throwing a ki blast. His thick, gloved fingers tore through an enemy’s chest and Bulma looked away. It’s wasn’t the gore the woman shied away from, but the thoughts only the Prince could invoke. She still trembled when she thought of Vegeta’s hands trailing down the small of her back. Her stomach twisted every time his murmuring voice vibrated against her chest when he held her. Even now, the thought of the Prince’s hot breath against her throat made Bulma shiver. 

“Earth to Bulma!” Oolong cried out. He waved his hand over her face, “You’ve been spacing out all morning!” 

Bulma shook her head. She stood in the middle of the diner, holding two slices of pie for waiting patrons. She jogged to the two customers, apologizing for the wait. 

“I need my break,” Bulma mumbled, pushing past Oolong. 

Bulma grabbed a seat, sighing. A small tv played in the background of the breakroom. Oolong pulled up a chair beside her, glancing over at the screen. 

“Everyone is making a big deal about Prince Vegeta arriving. Don’t get me wrong, I hated Frieza too, but I don’t think Saiyans ruling will be any better. They’re monsters!” 

Bulma sent a glare the pig’s way. Oolong stuttered out an apology, “Except for Trunks and Goten, of course. And Goku isn’t bad!” 

Bulma propped her elbows on the table and cupped her cheek with a hand, “I mean it’s one of those underdog stories. Frieza used Vegeta’s captivity to control the Saiyans and used their power to control us. It’s so fitting that Vegeta would be the one person to bring him down. It really is a momentous occasion. Maybe I should have let Trunks go to the parade.” 

“That’s what’s been on your mind?” Oolong laughed. 

Bulma smacked her coworker lightly, “Don’t laugh! It meant a lot for him to go and I hate having to be the bad guy. He has so little compared to what I had at his age and he has never asked for much. I just wish I could do more.” 

The pig nodded, swinging his legs over his seat, “What about your inventions? Anyone bite yet?” 

Bulma shook her head, “I don’t have a lot of money for supplies to pour into my work. No one’s contacted me or Dad. This wouldn’t be an issue if Capsule Corp. were up and running still.” 

Oolong patted her back, “Don’t stress, Bulma. You’ll be back in the lab before you know it.” 

Bulma braved a small smile, “Thanks Oolong. I hope you’re right.” 

* * *

Trunks pushed through the crowd. The hoots and shouts were nearly deafening to his sensitive ears. His mother had said it was due to his half Saiyan heritage unlike the lavender hair hailing from her side. Trunks grinned and cut through the soldiers tasked with guarding the main attraction. Seeing him was well worth the earache that was bound to come. 

A guard shot his hand out, motioning the boy away, “Hey, kid, move back! You aren’t the only one trying to see the Prince!” 

Trunks scowled, but took a single step back. Those fools. It wasn’t like Prince Vegeta actually needed their meager protection; he had defeated Frieza, the most powerful being in the universe. On the horizon, Trunks could see an army coming toward the group. The war hero Vegeta, the young boy presumed, was being carried by soldiers in a movable tent. Trunks frowned, floating slightly higher to gain a better look. Trunks pulled at the shirt sleeve of one of the guards. 

“Hey, that’s Prince Vegeta in the tent, right? Don’t we get to see him?” 

The guard jerked away, “You should be grateful the Prince even decided to stop on your disgusting mud planet. Be quiet, stay back, and don’t touch me.” 

Trunks lowered himself to the ground and moved further down the crowd, closer to the approaching army. He glanced at his watch and cursed. His mom was going to finish up her shift at the diner soon. If she found out that he’d skipped class to come to the parade, she was going to freak. Trunks scanned the area for cameras. He ducked behind a man when he spotted a camera recording the massive crowd size. His face was too recognizable to be caught. The half-saiyan pulled a hood on, covering his purple hair. He caught a glance at Nappa, Vegeta’s right hand man. Trunks gulped. The man was intimidating on TV, but that was nothing compared to the looming form in person. Trunks slipped off his backpack and retrieved a small notebook and pen. He had one shot to get what would become his greatest possession: Prince Vegeta’s autograph. 

_‘Ok, get the autograph, impress_ _Vegeta_ _, and then he’ll offer me a position to fight by his side. I can take care of Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, everyone if I pull this off.’_ Trunks thought, steeling his resolve. 

With a deep breath, Trunks charged the tent. Guards shouted, unleashing small ki blasts at the boy. Trunks dodged the blasts, focused on reaching the tent. He lunged to land inside the tent when a force grabbed the back of his backpack and slammed him to the ground. Trunks groaned, rubbing the back of his head. He looked up to see Nappa staring him down. The parade had been halted, watching the show. 

Nappa pulled Trunks up by his hoodie, “What do you think you’re doing squirt? Besides causing a problem, I mean.” 

Trunks struggled against his grip, “I’m trying to speak to Prince Vegeta. I want to see him!” 

Nappa pulled the boy’s hoodie off, sneering at him. Trunks jerked away and landed a few feet from the Saiyan. Vegeta’s voice rose from the tent. 

“Why have we stopped? Nappa, what’s going on?” 

Nappa tensed, looking back, “Nothing, Prince Vegeta! We’re just removing a bug now.” 

Trunks looked at the tent, and ran for it again. This time Nappa grabbed the demi-Saiyan by the ankle,“I don’t remember saying you can go, you little punk.” 

“Let go, you creep!” 

Trunks sent a kick to the man’s head, twisting it slightly. The blow was enough for Nappa to release him and Trunks tumbled to the ground. 

“Nappa! You bald-headed baffoon, quick while you’re ahead and retain a little of your dignity,” Vegeta spat, pulling back the tent’s curtain. 

Nappa popped his neck back in place. He held out his hand to shoot Trunks with a ki blast, “It’s this bratty kid!” 

Vegeta phased inches in front of the older Saiyan and delivered a gut punch that had Nappa doubled over. 

“That’s enough; you’ve completely lost control,” Vegeta snorted, “How is my right-hand man bested by a child?” 

“I’m not any child. I’m a Saiyan!” Trunks called out. 

Vegeta folded his arms, baring a scowl, “You’re a nuisance and we’ve wasted enough of our time on you.” 

Vegeta stepped over Nappa’s fallen form. 

“Wait, Mr. Vegeta, please! I have something to show you!” Trunks called out frantically. He couldn’t lose his chance. 

Gathering all his energy, Trunks’s power began to rise. The boy let loose a scream as his ki energy crackled around him. Lavender hair flickered once, then twice, a golden color. Vegeta turned slightly. His face betrayed his emotions. His mouth hung agape as Trunks transformed with a final scream into a super saiyan. 

“Wha-?” Vegeta stuttered, “How can you do that?” 

Trunks grinned, heaving heavily. He hadn’t quite mastered the form, but he could at least transform. He pulled out a notebook and pen. 

“Mr. Vegeta! Co-could I have an autograph? You’re my hero,” Trunks cried out, putting on a brave face. 

Nappa pulled himself up and took a step in front of Vegeta, “Nice lightshow brat, but that won’t help you when I-” 

“Nappa! Have you no manners?” 

Nappa turned to his leader. Trunks couldn’t hide the smug grin when Vegeta shooed Nappa away and fully acknowleged him for the first time. 

“How did you learn to do that, boy?” Vegeta asked gruffly, though in earnest. 

Trunks huffed, struggling to maintain his golden form, “I-I learned...from you. I watched your transformation for hours until I could do it myself.” 

All too quickly, Trunks reverted. He collapsed on all fours, gasping for air. Vegeta watched him with a calculating stare, sizing the boy up. 

“You waste your raw power, just trying to stand. I was already purging entire planets at your age. It’s obvious that you’ve never been in battle. Amateur moves like that would have left you dead.” 

Trunks winced. He balled his fists into the grainy dirt. That was supposed to impress him. As far as Trunks knew he was the youngest to even turn Super Saiyan. Trunks slowly looked up at the Prince. Surprisingly, Vegeta wasn’t frowning. He wasn’t smiling, but his onyx eyes were dancing. Despite the criticism, he was intrigued. 

“How is that transformation even possible? You are not a Saiyan,” Vegeta stated matter of factly, “not completely at least.” 

Trunks stood, unaware of all the people watching their exchange in awe. The child wiped his brow and glared. It didn’t matter that he stood before his hero; no one was going to demean him. 

“I’m half-saiyan and half human, the best of both worlds,” the boy shrugged. 

Nappa unleased a laugh, holding his sides, “This boy must have hit his head. What self-respecting Saiyan would even bed with a weakling human?” 

“Shut up, Nappa.” 

Nappa growled, but didn’t speak. Vegeta turned back to Trunks silently. He merely regarded the boy with another steely expression. “Who is the Saiyan? Is it your mother or father?” 

Trunks was seething at Nappa, looking positively Saiyan, save for the lavender locks. Vegeta even thought for a second, the boy’s angry face resembled his own. He shook the thought away, irritated at being ignored. 

“I asked you a question, boy!” 

Reluctantly, Trunks turned his attention back to Vegeta, “My mother is human. My father is a Saiyan.” 

“Your father is a fool mating with a human,” Vegeta spoke, “It’s dangerous.” 

Trunks folded his arms, “I never met my father. He actually left my mom before I was born, but I agree. He’s a fool and a coward for leaving my mom and me.” 

Vegeta mulled over the information before asking, “What’s your name, Saiyan?” 

Trunks beamed, “I’m Trunks, sir! I’m seven and I’m in school right now, but I actually want to be in your army. I’m strong, but I know I can get stronger with some training and-” 

“Enough.” 

Trunks clammed up. Vegeta looked down at the notebook and held his hand out. Trunks scrambled to hand him the notebook and pen. Vegeta scribbled out a quick note and slammed the book shut. 

“There’s your little signature. Now get out of our way, Troublemaker.” 

Vegeta levitated and returned to his tent. Nappa scowled and swiped at Trunks. 

“You got what you wanted. Now leave!” 

Trunks tightened his backpack and flipped his hoodie back over his face, taking off in the sky. Away from the prying lenses of the cameras, Trunks landed. He pulled out the notebook, fingering past the empty pages. 

“After all of that, he still wasn’t interested in-” Trunks paused as the page landed where Vegeta had signed. 

Below his signature, the Saiyan had written a note. 

_Trunks, you actually seem to have some potential as a warrior. Get into Room 1012, my training room, and take my scouter. If you can make it_ _out_ _alive, I may consider taking you as my apprentice. Just don’t expect me to go easy on you. If it’s strength you want, you’d better well earn it. You have two days. Don’t get_ _caught,_ _boy._

Trunks reread the words, grinning. He’d done it! He'd actually gotten the Prince of Saiyans to notice him. 

“If I pull off this heist, I’ll have the strongest in the world as my master!” 

Trunks placed the book back in his backpack, beaming, and flew home. He smirked, thinking of the note. If Prince Vegeta gave him two days, he could do it in one. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Love in Season**

**Ch. 3**

It was dark when Trunks made it home. Bulma waved him into the kitchen. 

“Hey honey, how was school?” 

Trunks dropped his backpack on the ground and took a seat at the kitchen table. His eyes roved over the meal his mother had prepared. 

“Wow, sushi, udon bowls, and takoyaki? You made a feast Mom!” Trunks exclaimed, purposely ignoring his mother’s question. 

Bulma wiped a bead of sweat from her brow and slid the food closer to Trunks. She took a seat adjacent to him and propped her elbows up, resting her head in her palms. 

“Well, I got home a little early and decided to whip something up. I know you wanted to see Prince Vegeta. I feel bad for saying no, knowing how much it meant to you.” 

Trunks looked away, focusing on dipping his sushi in soy sauce, “I get it. School’s important. It’s ok, really.” 

“What did I ever do to deserve such an awesome son?” Bulma gushed, tugging at Trunks’s cheek. 

The young boy’s cheeks colored red and he waved his mom’s hands away, “Aww, come on, Mom. Stop. Besides it’s nothing.” 

Bulma just smiled. She prepared her own meal, “Well I did decide that you can stay up a little later and watch the Prince’s interview tonight. It’s an exclusive and you know the Prince isn’t much of a talker so it should be interesting.” 

“Thanks Mom. I’ll watch some before bed. I’m pretty tired though,” Trunks yawned for extra effect. 

Bulma pressed the back of her hand against Trunk’s forehead. 

“You’re choosing to go to bed early? You must be sick. Well don’t fall asleep too early; Yamcha is stopping by.” 

Trunks slurped his noodles with a scowl, “Ugh, Mom, why? You don’t even like him.” 

Bulma frowned, “That isn’t true. Yamcha is a good guy, Trunks.” 

Trunks finished and made his way to the living room. He plopped down on the rug in front of the family’s single TV and flipped to the interview. Bulma sat on the couch with a sigh. 

“Trunks, when Yamcha arrives, be kind. He’s a good guy and I’m sure you two would have a lot in common.” 

“He’s boring and a coward. What could we have in common?” Trunks whined. 

“He’s not boring; he’s safe. I’ve had my share of bad boys and trust me, someone like Yamcha is exactly what we need.” Bulma said just as the doorbell rang. 

Bulma opened the door and embraced the man. Yamcha grinned and gave Bulma a peck on the cheek. He pulled back, his cheeks coloring a pink shade. Yamcha waved at Trunks. 

“Hey there, Slugger,” Yamcha said, ruffling Trunk’s hair. 

Trunks slapped his hand away, “My name is Trunks, not Slugger.” 

“Trunks,” Bulma admonished, taking a seat on the couch. 

She patted the cushion, beckoning Yamcha to sit next to her. Trunks sprawled back out on the rug as the intro music to the interview began. Yamcha sat, watching the screen. His lips curls when he saw Vegeta on the screen. 

“Ugh, this guy. I don’t see why everyone is going crazy over Vegeta. He seems pretty maniacal if you ask me-” 

“We didn’t ask you,” Trunks shot back. 

“Trunks, one more mouthy word and it’s to bed with you,” Bulma uttered sharply. 

Trunks glared at Yamcha, but closed his mouth and turned his focus to the TV. 

“Good evening everyone! This is Erasa here with the interview we’ve all been waiting for, the hunky tactifully brillant warrior, Prince Vegeta!” 

Vegeta walked out to the roars and applause of the audience with his arms folded and his trademark scowl in place. Trunks eyes glimmered, taking in the Prince’s royal red cape and bold Saiyan crest adorning the chest plate of Vegeta’s armor. Vegeta gave a single wave and sat, waiting impatiently for the questions to begin. 

Erasa smiled brightly, stroking her fingers through her short blond hair, “It is an honor to have you here! I, like everyone else, is wondering what brings to you here? What made you do this interview on Earth?” 

Vegeta sighed, “It was the wishes of my father, the king, in an attempt foster a better relationship with Earthlings. While your strength is meager compared to that of the average Saiyan, Earthling technology has proven to be of use against Frieza and his army.” 

“Oh wow, so our brains helped turn the tide, huh?” Erasa laughed, “You heard it here folks! Sometimes it’s the cunning that wins over brawn.” 

Vegeta’s sharp eyes cut to the host, “I never said that and I don’t share my father’s feelings. You can’t be brainless, expecting to win a war, but strength is the only thing that matters in this world. Everything else is just a delusion for the weak.” 

The audience quieted a moment. Erasa stuttered out another light laugh, “Quite the statement, Prince! You truly embody all we know to be true about Saiyans.” 

Vegeta grunted, baring the hint of a smile. 

Yamcha sucked in his teeth, “He couldn’t go five seconds without insulting us? We may not have been on the front lines like those Saiyans, but there were plenty of us that banded together to fight Frieza. He should respect us.” 

“I don’t think Vegeta dislikes humans; I think he dislikes weaklings,” Bulma commented. 

Yamcha rolled his eyes, “Oh I forgot this was the Vegeta fan club house.” 

“Shh!” Trunks hissed, turning up the tv. Vegeta was already in the middle of more serious questions. 

Erasa pressedon, “You had a personal history with Zarbon. After fighting him the first time, you were put in an regeneration tank to heal 32 broken bones. How were you able to fight after having so much pain? After particularly hard battles, were you afraid to face some of the same woes again?” 

“I’m always able to push through pain because I know giving up hurts more, but the fear?” Vegeta paused, mulling over how he wanted to answer. He thought of his comrades watching and all that they’d faced the last decade fighting. 

“Even the mightiest of warriors experience fear or self-doubt. What makes a true warrior is the courage to overcome those fears. Saiyans are nothing without their strength and their pride. We must not fear a challenge, but rise to overcome it.” 

The crowd cheered and Bulma smiled. She remembered the many sleepless nights listening to the Prince speak just like that. She always joked that were he not a conqueror of worlds, he would make a great coach. She would daydream of those nights. Starry nights, they would cuddle in bed, keeping one another’s nightmares away and sharing dreams of what they would do, who they would be once they were free. Bulma’s eyes appeared glassy; Vegeta had done exactly as he said he would and she had woefully fallen short. 

“Mom? You ok?” Trunks asked. 

Bulma shook her head, plastering a smile back in place, “Oh yeah, I just zoned out. No worries! What questions did Erasa ask?” 

Trunks turned back, though the worry didn’t leave his face. 

“She asked about his childhood under Frieza, but Vegeta just kind of tensed up,” Yamcha answered. 

“It’s been years and it still haunts him,” Bulma mumbled. 

“Does it feel fitting that you were the one who defeated Frieza,” Erasa asked. 

Vegeta relaxed slightly from the previous question and smirked, “Of course. Frieza made me who I am. I didn’t want him to do that to anyone else. Who better to stop that circus freak than me?” 

The last line earned him some laughs. The host continued, signaling a picture to appear of Frieza in his various forms. 

“He had three transformations before you defeated him, which seemed pretty unfair to your one transformation of Super Saiyan,” Erasa mused. 

“There is no fair or unfair in battle, no victory or, in Frieza’s case, defeat. Though to your point, I only needed one transformation to beat him.” Vegeta answered, cocky demeanor back in place. 

“Now that we’re in a time of peace, have you ever wanted to settle down with a wife and kids?” 

“I’ve never considered it,” Vegeta answered shortly, “I consider it a waste of my potential.” 

Bulma winced. Erasa remained unfazed, most likely expecting such a cold response. 

“Rumor has it that you had a special someone.” 

Veeta grit his teeth. His steel eyes warned the girl of saying anything thing more, “Come again? 

Erasa pulled out an envelope with a giggle, “We have very good fact checkers on the show. Some old receipts from Starlight Gentleman’s Club surfaced. You visited a woman with the id #6810 for nearly a year before freeing her, a rare act for you?” 

Bulma paled, biting her lips. Her eyes shifted to Trunks nervously. 

“What is Starlight?” Trunks asked innocently. 

Yamcha chuckled, “Well, well it seems like even the great Vegeta is just as weak as the rest of us. It’s a brothel on Omega G, one of Frieza’s old landing pads.” Yamcha turned to Bulma joking, “The ads says it has the most exotic whores in the galaxy, though it’s probably changed since Frieza isn’t over it.” 

Bulma frowned, slapping Yamcha’s chest, “Don’t say that. That’s not funny. A lot of women were stolen from all over and forced to work there. They’re not whores; they’re victims.” 

Yamcha rubbed his chest lightly, “Geez, okay sorry. Lighten up Bulma.” 

Vegeta reviewed the documents, getting a far-away look in his eyes. His demeanor grew solemn, softer even, “Do have any more information on this woman? A picture?” 

Erasa’s eyes softened as the Prince’s hands roved over the documents in a trance. 

“Was this woman special to you? A Saiyan that had been captured perhaps?” She coaxed. 

“Not a Saiyan,” Vegeta mumbled, “Tell me. Did your fact checkers find anything of her fate?” 

The host shook her head and Vegeta sneered. He threw the documents aside. 

“Don’t waste my time on nonsense then!” Vegeta folded his arms; his eyes trailed down to his white boots, “She was probably killed anyway.” 

His microphone picked up the soft words, sending murmurings throughout the audience. Vegeta’s eyes shot up, remembering he was being filmed. A red blush stretched over his cheeks and he stammered out an order, “Are you finished with your incessant questions, you harpy? I’d say you’ve taken up enough of my time!” 

Erasa jumped at his sudden shift of emotions and flipped through her notecards, landing on a safe topic. She cleared her throat nervously, “Um, yes well speaking of children, you’ve built up quite a fan base, especially with children. Today we saw you signing autographs. There even looked to be a child super Saiyan you met.” 

Vegeta chuckled, “That little twerp? With a more control, that boy might be able to serve in my father’s army. The Elites were once Saiyans only, but my father his opened the positions to other races and species, if they can prove their worth.” 

Trunks’s face paled at the mention. He was silently elated to hear the prince compliment him, but he couldn’t have his mom linking himm to the parade. He glanced over to gauge his mother’s reaction, only to see she’d left the room. 

“Where did Mom go?” the boy asked Yamcha. 

“She said she wasn’t feeling well so she left a moment,” he answered with a shrug. 

Trunk stood up from his spot and made his way into the kitchen. Bulma was brewing herself some tea. She glanced over at Trunks entering and smiled. 

“What is it? Did you want a cup too?” 

Trunks scratched the back of his head, “I was just checking on you.” 

“Oh I’m fine. I just get a little emotional when I think about the war. We all lost a lot.” 

“Yeah, I didn’t even know Prince Vegeta had a girlfriend or something in the war. I wonder what happened to her.” 

Yamcha came in leaning against the wall, “Yeah, that was the most shocking of all the stuff they were talking about. He even seemed shocked Erasa found that info. Though he kind of looked sad a second when they couldn’t pinpoint who the girl is.” 

Bulma brushed past him and Trunks with her tea in tow, “Well you heard him. That woman, whoever she was, is probably gone.” 

The three settled back in the cozy living room. Trunks overheard Erasa asking her final question. 

“Some Earthlings are weary, even today, with being under the charge of Saiyans. What do you say to those who believe you will fail to protect us from invaders?” 

Vegeta wagged his finger to the cameraman until the camera was directly in front of his face. The prince gave his signature smirk, “If you believe anyone is more equipped than us Saiyans to protect this planet, then call them. Be our guest. We’ll be back once you fail.” 

Vegeta turned to Erasa, “I’d say we’re done with this.” 

Vegeta stood and exited the stage to the hoots and cheers of the audience 

“All hail Prince Vegeta! Savior of our universe!” a couple Saiyans shouted. 

Bulma shut off the tv. 

“He’s gruff for sure and arrogant as hell, but that was kind of inspiring at parts,” Yamcha commented. 

Bulma nodded absentmindedly. Trunks feigned a yawn, rubbing his eyes for extra measure. 

“Oh man I’m pretty tired now. Hey Mom can you let me sleep in tomorrow? I think I’m gonna need it.” 

“You don’t want to stay up later? That’s unlike you. Usually you want to stay up the whole night,” Bulma mused. 

Trunks shrugged, trying to look nonchalant, “I’m just extra tired today.” 

Bulma left the matter drop and kissed Trunks on the forehead, wishing him a goodnight. Trunks went up to his room and listened. He could hear the murmurs of Bulma speaking with Yamcha until he finally left for the night. Trunks peered out his window, watching the man drive away. He scurried under his own covers and snored softly as Bulma cracked open his door. She gave a content sigh as she always did when she checked on him and gently shut the door. Trunks kept under the covers until he heard her own bedroom door shut. He smirked. His mom might be a genuis, but she was too predictable. Trunks slipped out his bedroom window and flew toward the building named in Vegeta’s note. 

**I had** **a longer** **chapter, but I have been bogged down in work and needed to break the chapters up to release them quicker. Thank you all for the encouraging reviews. I read so many** **Dragonball** **fanfics and was nervous about putting my own idea out, but I’m glad it’s been well received. Stay tuned for the next chapter when Trunks sneaks in for the scouter and has to fight** **Nappa** **to get out!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Love in Season**

**Ch. 4**

Trunks tightened his hoodie strings, covering his lavender hair. He trudged to the front desk of the hotel where the prince was staying. Trunks was surprised that no one was guarding the entrance, but who was even stupid or strong enough to take on the Saiyans? The demi-Saiyan rang the bell of the front desk. A gruff Saiyan leaned over the ledge. A grunt revealed the warrior wanted to know why the boy was there. 

Trunks put on his best angelic face, “Excuse me, do you have access to Room 1012? I need something from up there.” 

The burly Saiyan sneered, “Fool, that’s the prince’s training room. No one has an access key, but the prince and his second in command, Nappa.” 

Trunks’s smile faltered and he nodded, retreating to the sitting area in the lobby. He pouted, kicking his feet over the bench he sat. 

_‘That nice kid routine always works with Mom. I guess it doesn’t have the same effect on_ _Saiyans_ _.’_

Trunks watched the elevator doors open and close as waves of people entered the hotel. He noticed almost everyone had a badge, except the kitchen staff. Trunks smirked. He hopped off the bench and made his way to the kitchen. 

“Hey! Where are you going, kid!” The man at the front desk yelled. 

Trunks stiffened, but thought quickly, “Chill out, I just needed to go to the bathroom.” 

The other man rolled his eyes and waved him away. Trunks made his way to the kitchen. He quickly threw on a catering uniform. 

_‘Luckily for me, most of these guys are just as short as I am. I actually blend in here.’_

Feeling bold, Trunks grabbed a hot roll and tore a piece off to eat. He stuffed the roll, an apple and a few pieces of candy in his pockets for later. 

“Are you imbeciles finished with the prince’s meal? He will have our heads if it’s late! Runners! I need runners,” the head chef demanded. 

Trunks raised his hand and the chef shooed him to a tray. 

“Get the temporary access card and hurry up!” The chef added and turned heel without even looking at the young boy. 

Trunks swiped up a temporary card and grabbed a tray. He took the elevator up to the tenth floor and dropped the tray in front of room marked as the prince’s bedroom. Trunks scanned his area and darted down the hall after two sharp knocks at the door. Trunks ran, activating the temporary card for room 1012, Vegeta’s training room. Trunks’s mouth hung open at all the vast size of the room, pristine white walls accented in blue with the king’s crest painted on the doorframe. The training room looked larger than boy’s entire home. The ceilings were high, perfect to practice flying. The room had some weights strewn about, a small table and some chairs with a regeneration tank tucked in the corner. A small part of the room was reserved for rest with a fridge and couch for Vegeta. Trunks ran around the room, searching for the scouter. 

“Where is the stupid thing?” Trunks groaned, pushing aside a chair and some weights. 

His ears perked up at the sound of footsteps. Trunks ran behind a small shelf, knocking over some armor as Nappa’s voice filled the room. 

“I’d say the interview went well, my prince. Your words inspired our men.” 

“I don’t care about that! Do you know how they found out about Starlight?” Vegeta grunted. 

Trunks’s eyes widened at the scouter attached to Vegeta’s ear, ‘ _I have to steal it off of him! That’s a death wish.’_

Nappa shrugged, mumbling, “I didn’t even know about Starlight. I remember you visiting there, but I never knew a woman was involved.” 

Vegeta didn’t speak. Raditz stepped through the sliding entrance and walked straight for the fridge. Trunks’s heart felt like it was beating out of his chest as dread filled him. He’d only seen Raditz a handful of times when the older brother went to visit Goku, but he couldn’t risk the man recognizing him. 

“Raditz! You already ate a portion of my dinner and now you’re rummaging through my fridge as well?” Vegeta chastised. 

Raditz grabbed a beer and fell back on the couch, “I was just getting a drink to wine down for the evening. Nice interview by the way. You didn’t come off as a complete asshole.” 

Trunks feared Vegeta would strike the man for uttering such a comment, but the Saiyan Prince just released a disgruntled sigh before getting himself a beer. Vegeta chugged it and threw the empty can in the trash. 

“My father better be pleased with the bullshit I endured on this planet,” Vegeta complained, “What worthy fighters can this place produce?” 

“Kakarot seems to have acclimated well,” Nappa spoke, looking around the room. His tail uncoiled from his waist and twisted uneasily. 

Nappa’s eyes roved over the armor on the ground and the weights that had rolled to the other end of the room from there earlier position. 

“Vegeta, did you move anything in here? I placed this armor on the table before we left.” 

Vegeta unclasped his scouter and walked to the shelf where Trunks hid. The demi-Saiyan stiffened, holding his breath. Vegeta placed the scouter on the shelf. His onyx eyes widened slightly as they locked with the boy’s blue orbs. Trunks’s face was nearly obscured, but two blue eyes peered out from some discarded magazines. The prince smirked, but said nothing. 

“I must have moved it, Nappa. Don’t be so paranoid,” Vegeta said, picking up the armor. 

He tossed the armor at Raditz, “For Kakarot. Let him know we’ll be leaving out in a couple weeks. I need to oversee some details for the rebuilding of Planet Vegeta.” 

Raditz took the armor with a slight frown, “About that. I don’t know if I can get him to come. He’s made a family here, a wife and two sons.” 

“I granted his request to be docked on Earth during the war, but Kakarot would be a traitor to abandon his home planet for Earth. Remind him of that. You both are third-class warriors who rose to the ranks of the Elite. Don’t be so stupid to squander your rankings now.” Vegeta answered. 

Raditz replied with a single nod, He clutched the armor and left the training room. Vegeta turned to Nappa. 

“I’m going to meditate. Don’t bother me.” 

Vegeta exited the room and Nappa growled, “Even after all these years, that prick still treats me like dirt.” 

Nappa raided the fridge for a drink of his own when his eyes caught a small hand grasping for Vegeta’s scouter. Nappa slammed the fridge and shoved the shelf away. Trunks yelped, pulling his hand back with the scouter intact. 

“You! I knew I wasn’t paranoid you little brat!” 

Trunks darted between the man’s legs. Nappa turned. He sent a ki blast at the boy. Trunks jumped out of the way and stumbled into the couch. 

“What are you doing here? Trying to get killed?” 

Trunks stuck out his tongue, “You wouldn’t understand. Just leave me alone. I need to get to Prince Vegeta.” 

“This shit again,” Nappa muttered. 

Nappa moved rapidly disappearing and reappearing before Trunks. In the time it took the young boy to gasp, Nappa sent a chop to his neck. The blow sent Trunks into the wall. Trunks bit back painful tears, holding his neck. He was grateful to be a hybrid because that attack would have killed him, were he completely human. Trunks slid the scouter in his pocket and charged his ki. Trunks barraged Nappa in energy blasts. The warrior laughed and took the blasts in stride. When the dust cleared, Nappa brushed the singe marks from his armor. 

“Wow, that almost tickles. Let me show you a real energy blast,” Nappa said with a grin. 

A blue energy emitted from Nappa’s hand. He threw the energy ball. Trunks held his hand out, creating his own ki ball as a barrier. Trunks appeared before him in a flash throwing punch after punch at the man. Nappa glared. Trunks’s punches carried more sting as more ki wrapped around the boy’s fists. The senior Saiyan began to step back. Nappa being on the defense immediately bolstered Trunks’s ego. 

“Look at that! All bark, but no bite. You’re being beaten by a child!” The younger Saiyan goaded. 

Nappa delivered a kick to Trunks’s side, bruising his ribs. Trunks fell back, panting. Nappa charged him, grabbing Trunks by his head. Nappa flew up and dove down, crushing the young Saiyan’s body into the ground. The floor tile gave away, leaving a crater. Trunks wheezed, twisting under Nappa’s iron grip. The Saiyan yanked him up by his shirt, punching him in the face and tossing him aside. 

“Where’s that smart mouth now, brat?” 

Trunks wiped the blood from his mouth and cradled his side. Trunks’s energy flared and his lavender hair transformed to blonde. He needed to end this fight in one blow. Standing fully, Trunks extended his arms to both sides, forming two golden energy spheres. His ki began to grow, the sheer power of it made the room shake. Vegeta reappeared, watching the tail end of the fight with a smirk. 

_‘This boy’s potential is impressive indeed.’_

Trunks brought his arms out in front. He extended his index fingers like a gun and fired. The heat from the blast engulfed the entire room and light was blinding. Nappa screamed as the blow propelled him back against the wall. Vegeta shielded his eyes away a moment. He winched slightly, feeling the raw energy crackle in the air. Trunks staggered forward. Half-lidded eyes met Vegeta’s and Trunks smiled. 

“I did it,” the young boy whispered, “I beat him.” 

Trunks collapsed face down. Raditz ran into the training room. 

“The whole damn place shook! What’s going on?” 

Raditz glanced at Nappa in the ground and the unconscious hybrid, “What happened?” 

Vegeta stepped over Nappa and rolled Trunks over with the tip of his boot. He stared at the boy, arms crossed before replying to Raditz. 

“I gave our little intruder a proposition and he took me up on my offer. He’s not bad for an amateur, even gave Nappa a little trouble.” 

Raditz massaged the back of his head, “I can see that. This place looks awful. Hey this kid kinda looks familiar.” 

Vegeta pulled his scouter from Trunks’s pocket, “He caused a little disturbance at the parade today.” 

Raditz shook his head, “No, I mean I think this is Goten’s friend.” 

“Goten?” 

“Kakarot’s youngest son,” Raditz clarified. 

“Hn, I’ll need to ask Kakarot about his own brat’s power level. He should be of use on Planet Vegeta. Put the kid in a regeneration tank,” Vegeta instructed Raditz. 

Raditz lifted the boy and glanced over at the Saiyan on the ground, “What about Nappa?” 

Vegeta smirked, kicking the man lightly with his boot. Nappa groaned. 

“Don't bother with Nappa. He can sleep it off.” 

**Thank you for all your reviews. Just a heads up. It will be another 3-5 chapters before** **Bulma** **and** **Vegeta** **meet, but it may be shorter if I have the time for longer chapters.** **I want to establish a bond between Trunks and** **Vegeta** **before I reunite** **Vegeta** **with Bulma. Let me know what you all like or if something is confusing and thanks again!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Love in Season**

**Ch. 5**

Trunks awoke with a groan. The room was bright, blaringly so and the boy shielded his eyes as they adjusted to the light. The whirl of the ceiling fan in the sterile white room alerted Trunks that he was not in his own room back in bed.

"Finally awake, boy?"

Trunks tensed and turned to where the baritone voice had spoken.

"Prince Vegeta?"

The Prince's lips lifted in a half-smile. He stood from the chair adjacent to the queen-sized bed. The memories of the night filtered in Trunks's mind. The scouter and Nappa lying on the ground came back and Trunks smiled.

"Did you see me beat Nappa?" Trunks asked with hopeful eyes.

"Not all, but enough. I saw your finishing move. Did you learn that on your own?"

Trunks lit up, peeled away the covers of the bed and sat at the edge, "Yeah, I created that move myself! I have others too like-"

Vegeta stood and motioned for Trunks to follow him. Trunks scurried behind. The two left the room of what Trunks discovered was a medical room. The Saiyan led Trunks to his suite. The room was huge, though there weren't a lot of items: a table, a couple couches and a tv with a modest kitchen tucked away. Trunks sat on one of the couches. Vegeta disappeared in his bedroom and returned with some Saiyan armor, tossing it at the boy. Trunks grabbed the chest armor, tugging at its elasticity.

"Am I officially on the Elite Saiyan Guard?" Trunks asked excitedly.

"Absolutely not! However, as my disciple I couldn't have you training in _those_ ," Vegeta answered, casting a look of disdain upon Trunks's torn jeans and hoodie, partially hidden by the kitchen smock Trunks had used earlier.

Trunks just grinned, elated with the title of Vegeta's disciple. He took off his smock and hoodie, pulling on the chest armor. He ran to the nearest mirror to admire himself.

"Your attack resembled my Final Flash attack," Vegeta stated, taking a seat on the couch.

Trunks blushed sheepishly, turning back, "Yeah, I saw you use it to defeat Zarbon and I thought it was cool."

"You watch a lot of videos of me?" Vegeta's brow quirked playfully.

"Not in a weird way! This video was for class anyway," Trunks mumbled.

His cheeks burned; he was looking so lame in front of the Prince. When he thought the moment couldn't be more embarrassing, Trunks's stomach growled. On reflex, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and frowned, pulling out the roll.

"Man, it squished like a pancake and my apple smashed too!" The demi-Saiyan said mostly to himself.

Vegeta walked into the kitchen. He prepared two sandwiches before asking, "You normally hide smashed food? Is this an Earthling oddity or something uniquely yours?"

Vegeta pointed to a sandwich for Trunks, who eagerly rushed for the treat. The lavender-haired fighter hopped on a bar stool and answered, "I got it from the kitchen. I pretended to be a waiter to get an access card to your training space."

"Oh, you were the one who left my food on the ground and took some too from the looks of it."

"No! I didn't do that! I mean I did drop the food off and I did take your food, but it was the stuff in the kitchen, not your plate. It's just I skipped lunch to see you and my mom fixed a big dinner, but Yamcha came over so-"

"Trunks." Vegeta said sternly.

Trunks snapped his mouth shut.

"You talk a lot," Vegeta commented.

Trunks's eyes fell to the floor, "Sorry."

Trunks ate his sandwich without a word. Vegeta pulled out his phone, locating his calendar.

"Listen here, Trunks. I'm only on this planet a few months so you have a short time to prove your merit. I'm here a couple weeks, but then you'll be left to train yourself until I return. Understood?"

"I can do it! When do we begin?" Trunks asked, shoving the last bite of his sandwich in his mouth.

Vegeta shrugged, "What's wrong with now? You've eaten. Let's begin."

The boy glanced at the clock and paled, "Wait, how long have I been out? Is that time right?"

"It's nearly five in the morning. You were sleeping for hours," Vegeta replied.

He stuffed his phone in his pocket and took a bite of his own sandwich.

"Oh no, my mom is going to be up soon. She has to open the diner at six and if I'm not asleep, she'll freak. Can we start tomorrow?"

Vegeta folded his arms with a grunt. His tail tightened and twisted around his waist, "You don't seem to be aware of the great opportunity you've been given."

Trunks clasped his hands, "No, I know! It's an honor Prince Vegeta, but please _please_ can we start tomorrow? This won't happen again."

"For your sake, it better not."

Vegeta gathered Trunks's gifted armor and a scouter.

"You will use the scouter to contact me," Vegeta stated, dropping the items in the half-Saiyan's hands.

"Why wouldn't I be able to use a phone or something?" Trunks asked, grabbing his hoodie.

"The scouter is more secure and has greater range than a cell phone. With a cell phone, I wouldn't be able to contact you once I left Earth."

"So I can talk to you even when you're in outer space?"

Vegeta could hear the playful lilt in Trunks's voice, "Emergencies only! Don't waste my time with your silly ramblings or small talk. Understood?"

Trunks sighed, "Okay, I understand."

"Good, now hurry along. I expect you sharp for tomorrow's lesson."

* * *

"Mom, is it okay if I go?" Trunks asked over the phone

Bulma checked her watch. She was the only waitress on duty and had taken an extra shift that would have her working until late.

She sighed, "Okay, you can go to Goten's, but be back home before nightfall. Oh and honey, take the money from my drawer and give it to Chi Chi. It's not much, but I'm sure it will help some with all you hungry Saiyans."

"Okay. Thanks Mom. Bye!"

"Bye, sweetheart. Say hello to Goku for me."

* * *

Goku waved as Trunks landed in the front yard, "Goten, set an extra plate at the table. Trunks is here."

"Hey Goku. Mom said hi. I just came to talk to Goten."

Goku gathered up the wood he'd been chopping and led Trunks inside. Chi Chi poked her head outside the kitchen. She smiled at Trunks.

"Hi, Trunks. Your mom said you'd be stopping by. Dinner's almost ready."

Trunks handed Chi Chi the money from Bulma's drawer, but Chi Chi pushed it away.

"Tell your mom it's okay. We have more than enough food; one of the perks of having a farmer for a husband."

Trunks nodded, shoving the money back in his pocket, "Thank you. Is Goten around?"

Chi Chi turned her attention back to her stew, stirring it lightly, "In his room. He should be done studying."

Trunks walked to Goten's room and froze.

"Hey Trunks! I was just talking to Uncle Raditz about the parade!"

Raditz eyed the boy strangely. Trunks avoided his eye contact. He chose to sit on the opposite side of Goten.

"Oh yeah, what about?"

Goten was clueless to his friend's inner turmoil and commensed sharing.

"I heard the principal is trying to get Prince Vegeta and some of the Elite to come to our school! You might still get a chance to meet him."

Trunks glanced at Raditz who was gauging his expression. Trunks forced excitement and turned to the man for the first time.

"Oh wow! That is so cool. Raditz, you think Prince Vegeta would do that? I really want to meet him."

"Stranger things have happened," Raditz answered carefully.

Chi Chi called the boys to dinner and Trunks scrambled to the table, ignoring the searing gaze of the Saiyan behind him.

* * *

"Hey, Raditz, could you help the kids meet Vegeta?" Goku asked, between bites, "I think he's still a little miffed with me so I thought it would be better if you asked."

Raditz shifted his gaze to Trunks sweating away in his seat, "You know the Prince isn't much of a kid person, unless that kid is cunning enough to weasel his way to him. I could see though."

"Didn't one Saiyan boy try?" Chi Chi asked, "I heard some people at the supermarket mention it."

Gokku's eyes lit up, "Yeah, I heard about that! The footage wasn't all that great, but it looked like the boy went Super Saiyan. I got to hand it to him. Going Super can still wear me out so I can only imagine how tired the little guy was. Was Vegeta impressed? It's hard to tell with him sometimes."

Trunks kept his face neutral and focused on eating the vegetables of his stew. He'd already picked the meat out. For once, he didn't want to talk about the Prince. His plan was going well so far and he didn't need any of the adults babbling to his mom. She always hated the idea of him going off to be a soldier. She just couldn't imagine him out in space fighting. Trunks snorted. It was a wonder he could even reach Super Saiyan status when she rarely even let him spar with Goten.

"Yeah, I wasn't there, but I hear he wants to train the kid. I hope the brat is ready. It's serious business, not a game of pretend."

Raditz cut his eyes to Trunks once more. Trunks coughed up a bit of his stew. Chi Chi rubbed his back.

"You okay, Trunks? Don't eat too fast."

Trunks stood from the table, "Sorry, I need a sec."

Trunks rushed outside, trying to get some fresh air.

"He knows, _shit_ he knows, but how? He left before I fought Nappa. If he tells, I'm screwed!" Trunks lamented, pacing outside the Son's cottage home.

"Relax, kid. No one is going to tell on you," Raditz said, walking out the front door.

Trunks yelped. He caught his breath, looking at the man incredulously. Raditz continued.

"I don't care why you lied, Trunks. Just be better at it. You looked like you were going to shit your pants in there. You're lucky Kakarot was too oblivious to notice. What deal you carved out with Vegeta is none of my business. Hell, maybe I'll help you out. There might be a raise in it for me," the Saiyan chuckled.

"You really don't care? You won't tell Goku or Chi Chi where I was?"

"Like I said, no. Just don't make your little secret my problem."

Without another word, Raditz returned inside. Trunks steadied his stomach. He allowed a smile to slip on his face. It was happening. Slowly, but surely he was going to become one of the strongest around and his family would never have to struggle again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Love in Season**

**Ch. 6**

Bulma shook Trunks awake. Trunks rubbed the sleep from his eyes and met the angry gaze of his mother.

"Trunks! I'm not telling you again; get up for school!"

Trunks rolled out of his bed, wincing at his mom's shrill voice.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm out, Mom."

Bulma pulled Trunks into the bathroom and pushed his toothbrush and toothpaste in his hands.

"Hurry up and brush your teeth." Bulma instructed, looking in the mirror to fluff the curls she'd placed in her hair. She sighed and brushed out the curls, preferring the straight bob.

She massaged the fine lines on her face, mumbling partly to Trunks and partly to herself, "Oh what I wouldn't do for a little eye cream. I look prehistoric."

"You look fine, Mom," Trunks said, mouth full of toothpaste.

"Well I won't be fine if I get fired. I can't be late, which means you can't go to school late."

"I can fly to school on my own."

"I _used_ to think I could trust you to do that, but your track record hasn't been all that good these past couple weeks, has it?"

Trunks's attitude soured, "I need to wash. Can I get some privacy?"

Bulma watched her son a moment, softening her expression, "Okay, I'll leave, but we will have a discussion about this."

* * *

Bulma boarded the city bus with Trunks in tow. They were lucky enough to snag two seats in the morning rush.

"Thank goodness we made it! This is a nice treat from walking to school, isn't it Trunks?" Bulma gushed.

Trunks nodded, stifling another yawn. Bulma shifted in her seat. She turned. Trunks offered her a sleepy smile, hoping it would erase the worrying look she gave him.

"Trunks, is there something we need to talk about?"

Trunks glanced out the window. His school wasn't far. He could bide his time.

"I don't think so."

Bulma's voice dipped lower, "Trunks, I know I work a lot, but that doesn't mean I'm clueless to your life. You're always sleepy, cranky, and your appetite has been insatiable. You raid the fridge every night after dinner. I can't- are you taking drugs?"

"Mom!"

Trunks's early morning outburst earned him a couple side eyes and Bulma hushed him.

"Well, I don't want to think that, but I read it happens at younger and younger ages. Plus your school called and said you skipped-"

"I only skipped once," Trunks defended. He neglected to add that he also skipped for the parade.

"Your grades have also slipped and that's not you," Bulma continued, "Please tell me what's wrong."

The bus halted in front of the elementary school. Trunks hopped off his seat.

"Mom, I've just been tired, but I'm fine. I gotta go. I love you."

Trunks embraced her and rushed out the door.

* * *

"Drugs? Why drugs?" Goten asked, pulling out his lunchbox.

Trunks pulled out his own brown bag. He turned it over, dumping out the contents. A small bag of carrots and half a sandwich fell. Trunks sighed. His lunch looked so inadequate. He wished he hadn't eaten the other half of his sandwich in class, but it was the only thing keeping him upright. Trunks's empty stomach roared and Goten pushed a rice ball toward his friend.

"My mom made extra."

Trunks took the food with gratitude, "Thanks. My mom said I was eating and sleeping a lot and my grades dropped so I guess I use drugs now."

Goten perched his chin on the palms of his hands, "Just tell her you're training with Vegeta."

"Then she'll make me stop!" Trunks exclaimed.

"Tell Vegeta you need more sleep and your grades are dropping," Goten offered.

Trunks's shoulders fell, "That won't fly either. Prince Vegeta is training me to be his prodigy. He probably wouldn't bother if I couldn't juggle a couple hours of sleep and a test or two. I mean he spent years where he fought for days on no sleep."

Trunks let out a laugh, forcing a smile, "I can handle it! I just need to get adjusted."

Goten didn't smile back, "Is Vegeta...nice? Uncle Raditz said he yells a lot."

Trunks ran his fingers through his hair, "He does yell a lot. He's kinda like a drill sergeant, but I like him. I think he's warming up to me too."

The class bell rang and the boys sighed. Trunks hoped he didn't get much homework. He'd only have a few hours to rest before another training session.

* * *

"...49,997. 49,998. 49,999," Vegeta called out as Trunks floated into the training room.

His mentor was completely upside down, balancing his body weight on his thumb. He glanced over the boy's way.

"Suit up and put on your leg weights. 50,000," Vegeta called.

He jumped and landed with a flip. He popped his thumb and rotated the ligament. Trunks didn't greet him, unusual for the chatty thing. Vegeta slung off his own leg and arm weights. Trunks tugged on the leg weights with a grunt. He hated these. Hopefully this training would be short since Vegeta had already completed 50,000 pushups. The child Saiyan didn't know how much more of this rigor he could take.

Trunks jogged up to the Prince with an idea, "Hey, I thought of something cool. Maybe if I land a punch, I can win something. You know, have it as an incentive?"

Vegeta smirked, folding his arms on his bare chest, "What? You land a punch and I take you to the park?"

Trunks lit up, "Yeah, that would be awesome!"

"I am a warrior, not a babysitter!" Vegeta spat. He pointed to his cheek, smiling, "Your prize is the pride that you, a mere child, managed to strike a blow against me. Now begin."

Trunks pushed his weight on his foot and launched himself at Vegeta. He attempted to strike the man, but Vegeta countered his blow, slapping the attack away. Trunks rebounded back a safe distance. He shook his head. The room felt hotter than normal and Trunks wiped some sweat away from his forehead.

"You don't have time to waste in battle. Now come and face me!"

Trunks pushed a slight dizzy feeling away and charged the Saiyan again in a furry of punches. Vegeta tilted his head, dodging a punch. The man was a well-oiled machine, avoiding the child's blows with an ease cultivated from years of fighting. Trunks's arms felt heavy, more laborious as the minutes ticked by. Vegeta watched his movements.

' _The boy shouldn't be tired so quickly and his punches lack any power.'_

"Do not pull your punches! Every punch pulled is a sign of weakness that you can't finish the job!"

Vegeta caught the boy's hand before slamming his own fist into Trunks's stomach. Trunks fell to the floor, coughing from the blow. He curled up in a ball, whimpering. Vegeta stood over him with a frown.

"Get up. You look like a bug about to be squished."

Trunks didn't answer.

"What is it? Are you tired? I told you I wasn't going easy on you," Vegeta mocked.

"Shut up, you big jerk!" Trunks grunted, pulling himself up, "I'm kicking your ass tonight!"

Vegeta grinned at the fire in the boy's eyes. Normally he wouldn't allow anyone to speak to him like that, but he'd allow the boy this gift this one time. The prince readied himself for another attack.

"I'm ready for you to kick my ass, Trunks!" he goaded.

Trunks flew up to the highest spot in the room. He sent down ki blasts, but they had little effect on the man below. Trunks coughed again. That attack seemed to take more out of him than Vegeta. The room spun and Trunks closed his eyes. He tried to steady his breathing, but the damn room just kept spinning. Vegeta's smirk disappeared as he watched the little demi-Saiyan. Something was wrong. Trunks began to descend and at first Vegeta thought it was part of his attack. Something is wrong, his instincts repeated. Trunks wasn't flying down, but falling and fast. Vegeta bolted and caught the boy midair. He had fainted. Vegeta gripped the boy closer, listening for a heartbeat.

"Medic! I need a medic!"

* * *

"The young man is fine, just exhausted and a bit malnourished. If he can get some healthy food in him and rest more, he shouldn't have any more fainting spells."

Trunks listened to who he assumed was a doctor. He was in a bed with an IV in him and a breathing mask. Trunks turned his head to see Vegeta grunting a reply. His gloves had been discarded and he wrung his hands, glancing over at Trunks. Trunks smiled behind the mask. Vegeta was actually worried about him.

' _I knew he was warming up to me.'_

Vegeta noticed he was awake and motioned to the doctor. The doctor took the breathing mask off and took out the IV after checking the child's vitals. Vegeta dismissed the doctor with a grunt and turned to Trunks. Trunks pouted and avoided his gaze, uncomfortable with the attention on him.

"What the hell happened?" Vegeta demanded.

"I don't know. I just got tired. We can have a do over tomorrow," Trunks said, hopping out the bed.

He was still a little woozy and staggered a bit, something Vegeta noticed. Trunks moved past the prince, intent on going home to get at least two hours sleep before school.

Vegeta grabbed his shoulder, holding him in place, "Don't walk away when I'm talking to you. Answer this Trunks. Are you not eating at home?"

"I get enough food," Trunks grumbled, cheeks reddening.

Vegeta scoffed, "Obviously not. You don't seem to get enough for an average child, much less a Saiyan one. That mother of yours isn't feeding you?"

"I get enough food," Trunks stated again with a growl.

Trunks shrugged out of his grip. Shoulders hunched, he stared at the floor even as the tears welling in his eyes began to blur his vision. Vegeta could smell the salt and growled. He jerked Trunks to face him.

"What are you blubbering about, boy? Answer my question."

Trunks squeezed his fists, wishing to stop his tears through sheer will alone. The tears increased and then racking sobs, intensified under Vegeta's looming gaze.

"Trunks-"

"We don't have enough to eat!" Trunks screamed in between sobs, "It's hard. I train hard to take care of my family, but I eat too much and my mom doesn't have any food. If I cut back, I won't have enough energy to train and I'm messing up in school and tired and angry...It's too hard!"

Trunks panted after his admission. He wiped his eyes of tears and ventured a look at his hero. Vegeta didn't speak and took a step back, releasing his grip from Trunks. A buzzer rang and in came trays of food: pickled, roasted, baked and fried. It was the prince's own personal buffet.

Vegeta patted Trunks's head, "Dry your tears and come eat."

* * *

"Hey! The doctor said you needed healthy food. Put those vegetables on your plate, not just burgers and grilled meat!" Vegeta chastised, pulling the meat from a crab leg.

"Yes sir!" Trunks answered, tossing some mushrooms and broccoli on his plate. He drizzled on top a bit of soy sauce and took a seat across from Vegeta.

"Go on and eat, but not too quickly. I don't need you vomiting on my floor."

Trunks mumbled a quick prayer of thanks and dug in. Vegeta pushed his plate away, giving the younger Saiyan another careful look.

"While patroling, someone in Frieza's army came across an old Saiyan pod. They found two Saiyans that had lived thirty years on a deserted planet, Vampa."

"Are you talking about Broly?" Trunks said, chewing on a rib.

Vegeta nodded, "When Broly was found, he was living off the planet eating their equivalent of Earth's cacti and eggs. He lived thirty years before he ever tasted water or interacted with anyone besides his father."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Trunks asked. This was the most the tight-lipped Saiyan ever said without his badgering.

"It's not too hard. It's never _too_ hard. Life doesn't give everyone the same luxuries, but we Saiyans pride ourselves on our resilience, our ability to fight through hardship. Always remember that."

Trunks nodded, meeting his mentor's smile.

"You said something about school?" Vegeta asked.

The smile on Trunks's face ebbed away, replaced with a look of shame, "I didn't do well on a test."

"Why not?"

Trunks squirmed under Vegeta's gaze, but finally relented, "I have to sneak out to train around 11pm and I need to be up by 5am. I only get 2-3 hours of sleep and I don't have time to study. I just got behind."

"I see. You're sneaking out?" Vegeta questioned.

It made sense, but he hadn't thought about the boy's personal obligations. Not many parents would be happy with their child fighting him in the middle of the night.

"Yeah, my mom doesn't like me fighting at all. She doesn't even like me sparring with my friend, Goten. If I told her...it wouldn't go over well."

Vegeta chuckled, thinking back to his blue-haired human and the spats they'd had in the past, "Hm, I've never defended well against Earth women tirades. Such emotional things with all their crying and demands."

"That sounds exactly like my mom," Trunks voiced, wiping a few stray tears, "Can I...can I take some of this for my mom?"

Vegeta nodded. He stood up and pulled a capsule from the drawer, "Here. Use this and go home. Resume your training at home. I'll contact you for Saturday's training."

"Saturday? No training tomorrow?" Trunks asked, gathering up all the food.

"You need rest and I refuse to train a moron so go home and study. We'll commence our exercises after."

**It is a hard, but fun challenge to balance Vegeta's caring side with his gruff exterior, but I hope this is somewhat believable at least. Next chapter will have more Bulma in it and give a little backstory to her and Vegeta's relationship along with more father-son bonding. If you have any tips or feedback, let me know. I want to craft this story better and better. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Love in Season**

**Ch. 7**

"Ok, Trunks! Pack up," Bulma called into Goten's room.

Bulma took a seat at Chi Chi's kitchen table, nursing a cup of tea. The mothers could still hear their boys horsing around in Goten's room.

"Goten! Trunks! Wrap it up," Chi Chi reiterated.

The black-haired woman took a seat across from Bulma, "Well it looks like Trunks is back to normal. I guess whatever was bothering him is resolved, huh?"

Bulma nodded, setting her cup down on the wooden table, "Yes, but it bothers me that he never really explained anything. I don't like to be left in the dark."

"Well sometimes sons don't share everything with their mothers just like mothers don't share everything with their sons."

Bulma huffed. She rose to her seat and grabbed her purse, "Don't start with me Chi Chi."

Chi Chi folded her arms, "I'm not. I just think Trunks would understand you better if you opened up about your own past."

"And what do I tell him, Miss Oh So Perfect Mother?" Bulma hissed, keeping her voice low for her son's benefit. "He sees me as his strong and independent mother. Do you want me to let him know how I was a penniless slave that got knocked up by the very man who he idolizes and was stupid enough to fall for him? Should I go into detail about how Frieza destroyed Capsule Corp. and forced me into that life? Do you think he'd clean his room without arguing then?"

"Okay Mom, I'm ready!" Trunks yelled from the other room.

Bulma sighed and wiped away the budding tears that threatened to spill. She smoothed the wrinkles of her blouse. Chi Chi pulled the woman into a quick hug.

"Just think about it. I know you don't get a lot of time off work, but please come visit. I don't like ending our visits like this."

Bulma nodded with a sniffle and a small smile, "I'm sorry, okay? I'm stressed. My father and I have been wracking our brains for the next invention that could put us back on the map."

"What about a time machine to take us back before Frieza?" Chi Chi joked.

Bulma rolled her eyes, but laughed, "Oh sure. _I_ can make a time machine. The day I can do that is the day Goku declines seconds at dinner."

The woman laughed. Chi Chi handed her friend a small sac of food.

"Speaking of food, don't forget the extra lunches. Seriously though, Bulma. Frieza may have destroyed the Capsule Corp. building, but he didn't take away your mind. You'll come up with something."

Bulma snorted, thinking on the lizard, "Yeah, Frieza may not have left Earth with the newest inventions he wanted, but he did leave with something of my father's, me. If I could have just found a way back home sooner, this would be easier. I can't remember what easy even feels like now."

"Tell me about it. I love my boys, but some days I really miss just being the Ox King's daughter. Being a Princess was a bit boring, but it was a piece of cake," Chi Chi released a wistful smile, "Frieza's attack changed so much, but his tirade allowed me to meet Goku and have my sons. I can't say I wouldn't change a few things, but I am happy."

Bulma forced a smile in return. She wished she could say the same. She loved Trunks more than anything, but she was far from happy. Trunks scrambled into the room.

"Did you hear me Mom? I said I was ready."

Bulma kissed his forehead, "Ok kiddo, let's go."

The scientist waved goodbye to Goten when Goku and Raditz landed.

"Bulma! Leaving already?" Goku asked.

Raditz didn't speak, watching her curiously. Bulma avoided his eyes, tucking her short hair behind her ear. Trunks tugged his mother away. Raditz had given his word to keep quiet, but he didn't want to make trouble.

"Yeah, Goku. We just came for Mom's day off, but we have to catch the bus now. See ya!" Trunks answered in a rush.

Bulma picked up her pace and waved goodbye to the Saiyans, jogging after her son.

Raditz watched her leave, "Who was that woman? She looks familiar. Smells familiar too."

"That's Trunks's mom, Bulma," Goku answered with a shrug.

Raditz scratched his head, "His mom? Hm she's pretty. Who's Trunks's father?"

"Yeah, I guess she's pretty, but watch out. Bulma can have quite the temper. She's almost as scary as Chi Chi," Goku said with a laugh.

The jovial Saiyan jogged in the kitchen. He pecked his wife on the cheek and snuck some temaki sushi behind his back.

"You're not being sneaky mister," Chi Chi said with a frown, "Just don't ruin your appetite before dinner."

Goku grinned and handed Raditz a hand roll, finishing his thought, "Yeah, she doesn't talk about the father of Trunks. I think it was a random Saiyan after she was captured. You want to date her or something?"

Raditz shook his head frantically, "No offense, but I don't want to get involved with any of these humans. Hot or not. Besides, if she's who I'm thinking of, she's off-limits."

* * *

_9 years ago._

_The girls were in a frenzy to dress, tripping over their heels to get ready for inspection. Bulma bit her lip and fluffed the curls of her permed blue head. This night could be a reprieve from the ordinary, she was told. Not only were the clients for the night wealthy, one was a prince._

" _Assemble ladies! Line up single file!" Pilaf hollered, "The Prince is on his way over so you need to be ready."_

_Bulma nudged another woman, robotic in appearance with a fire opal finish, "Who's the Prince? Why is this such a big deal?"_

_The woman, Riza, turned to Bulma and fastened on a robe, "The Saiyan Prince Vegeta is one of Frieza's strongest men. The Saiyans are one of the strongest conquering races in the universe so watch your mouth with them, especially the Prince. All his men swear their loyalty to him, even more than Frieza."_

" _Enough talking! In line now," Pilaf raged as his own fear grew. Saiyans were not known for their patience._

_Bulma stepped next to Riza, looking ahead as the inspection began. Pilaf circled them, judging the skin, scales and fur of the women alike. He pulled at her flesh and turned her head from side to side._

" _The Prince likes the color blue so you, you, and you," Pilaf said with his finger pointing to Bulma._

_Pilaf shooed the other girls away. Bulma surveyed the other choices. One woman looked something like a water nymph from her picture books with cerulean scaled skin and white hair covering her elfish ears. The other woman, a favorite at the brothel, was a darker blue hue with a dog tail and soft blue fur covering her form. Bulma certainly felt the least exotic. How could she compete with them? Riza smiled at her._

" _You're sure to be a favorite. Genetically, Saiyans and humans are very similar. Go on and wow them."_

_Bulma peered behind the curtain, looking for the Prince. Three figures made their way to the front row. Bulma exhaled taking in their features. Despite their brutish reputation, it was refreshing to see people looking so human. Minus the tails, she would have guessed that Frieza had Earth's buffest bodybuilders at his disposal. As the men settled, Bulma took in their sizes up close._

" _Oh, he must be the Prince. He's huge!" Bulma whispered as a large bald-headed man sat up front in the middle of the room._

_The nymph looking woman peeked out and shook her head, "That's not him."_

_Bulma looked out again. Another Saiyan sat donning a lion's mane of hair. Before she could ask, the woman pointed to a third Saiyan._

" _That's Prince Vegeta," the nymph woman stated._

_On appearance alone Bulma wouldn't have guessed that the most diminutive of the group was royalty. The Prince gave the bald-headed man a look and the taller man scurried to another seat. That show of dominance solidified who she had to impress. His entire presence exuded control, power and a bit of arrogance, but Bulma had to admit the man with the flaming hair was the cutest of the three. She sighed. No matter the scenario, she always went for the bad boy._

_Riza set a hand on Bulma's shoulder, surprising the woman._

" _Oh, I didn't see you, sorry."_

_Riza nodded, "This is your first big display since coming here. Nervous?"_

_Bulma watched the other two coat their bodies in perfume and the shimmer of gold body powder. She pulled her own pink silk robe closer to her form. She'd elected for a more natural look in contrast to the other women. She hoped she wouldn't regret her decision. Pilaf was never kind to the girls who failed to entertain the clients well._

" _A dance is a dance, right?" Bulma chuckled._

" _Some advice for you. The Prince has the reputation for being the best in bed, but his underlings tip. If you can, get the Saiyan with long hair drunk. He tips big and usually sleeps more than he fucks when he's been drinking."_

_Bulma folded her arms, "Oh his majesty doesn't tip?"_

" _He doesn't usually indulge in any of this," Riza chuckled, "but the few times he takes a girl, he's never left money. I hear the sex is amazing though."_

" _I guess that's his tip," Bulma laughed, "Of course, what girl doesn't want a good lay? It would be nice to be with someone who looks and feels like me."_

_Pilaf shushed the woman, "Quiet until you're on stage #6810!"_

* * *

_Bulma watched the other women dance. They tried and failed to capture the Prince's attention though the two Saiyans accompanying him were enjoying themselves. Their hoots echoed throughout the room. The largest one, Nappa as she heard Vegeta call him, slapped the tailed woman's rear as she bent over. The woman yelped and staggered forward, sporting a hot red hand mark. Bulma winced. She made a mental note to keep away from the rough Nappa. She turned her sights to Raditz. He was already four pitchers of beer in and his movements had grown slower, stunted. He looked like he was going to be a good tipper, but a bad lay tonight. Then there was the Prince. He hadn't drunk much, only taking in a few glasses of whiskey to take the edge off. The alcohol seemed to have little effect. The lean Saiyan pushed away the dog woman as she tried to kiss him. Vegeta regarded the two dancing women with disinterested glances, more enchanted with the food menu than their entertainment. He pulled Pilaf to his eye level, holding the little blue imp by his shirt._

" _Are we finished with your pathetic display of repulsive women?"_

_Pilaf held his hands up in defense, "We have one more, your majesty! I'm sure you'll find her to your liking and let me remind you that any of the girls you desire are yours for the night, free of charge."_

_Vegeta pushed him back with a sneer, "That would be a deal if you had any woman worth taking."_

" _Prince Vegeta, come on. Just enjoy the show," Raditz urged, grinning at the blue nymph with a large bill in hand._

_Vegeta whipped his attention to the other Saiyan, "Watch how you speak to me, Raditz. I don't care how drunk you are. We are not equals, you low class shit."_

_Before Pilaf could hide backstage, Vegeta back out, "Bring out the final girl, Imp!"_

_Bulma took a drink, hoping to sip away her own nerves. She heard Vegeta's yelling and it should have scared her, but Bulma Briefs never shied away from a challenge. He was masculinity wrapped in a dark, brooding persona and she was determined to make him crack._

_Bulma stepped out on stage. The two other women had found their way onto the other Saiyans' laps, leaving just Vegeta alone. The music came to a lull and Vegeta glanced up. He halted, sizing the woman up with a hungry curiosity._

" _Shit, that one's hot," Nappa grumbled, "If you don't want her, Vegeta, I'll take her."_

_Vegeta's eyes never left the woman and he muttered to Pilaf, "Is she a Saiyan? No, but she looks similar."_

" _She's a human from Earth and one of Frieza's newest procurements."_

_Vegeta nodded and sat up a little taller. Bulma swayed to the music. Her own robe was partially open, displaying some of her large cleavage. She ran her fingers down the swell of her breasts and scraped her nails lightly over her nipples. Her nipples puckered against the cool silk and Bulma moaned. The members in the room hooted as Bulma played with the tie keeping on her robe. She didn't pay them any mind; her sights were only on the flame-haired Saiyan. Bulma sauntered across the stage, strutting effortlessly in her stilettos. She turned around and unraveled the ties of the pink robe a little, sliding the fabric down the small of her back._

" _Don't be a prude. Just take it off!" Raditz yelled._

_Bulma resisted rolling her eyes and shrugged on the short robe again. She walked in line with the music to the edge of the stage. Stepping down, she stood with her back to the Prince. Slowly she bent over. Her robe lifted up and Vegeta received an eyeful of Bulma's thin blue thong and pert, round ass. The woman let loose another breathy moan as her hands glided over her toned legs. She stood, dropping her robe to her feet. Bulma kicked the robe aside and turned around, covering her breasts with her hands._

_She pressed her breasts in the Prince's face. He didn't push her away like the other women, which the Earthling took as a victory. Still Vegeta refused to touch her. His hands gripped his glass of whiskey and chair like a lifeline. Bulma slipped on Vegeta's lap fully. The heat of her pussy awakened the Saiyan Prince and Bulma felt his cock twitching within his pants. Gyrating hips grounded against Vegeta's rock hard thighs._

" _Good evening, Prince," she whispered, flicking her tongue over his ear, "I'm Bulma and you feel very happy to meet me."_

_Feeling brave, Bulma locked eyes with Vegeta and gave him a kittenish grin. Up close she realized his eyes were onyx, not just dark but black. Lesser people would have shied from his blazing gaze. Now that she held his complete attention, she understood why fully. His look was predatory, unflinching with the raw power to back up any threat he made._

_That only excited her more._

_Bulma swirled her hips once more and brushed two erect nipples over Vegeta's parted mouth. His stone face broke, showing shock, lust and interestingly enough, the faintest of blushes. Bulma lifted off the Saiyan and retrieved her robe from the stage. She tied the robe in place before pulling her panties off and tossing them toward Vegeta. He caught them on reflex. Vegeta gave an involuntary growl at the pheromones wafting up his nose. He tightened his fist around the soft fabric. Bulma sat back on Vegeta's lap, straddling him. She set down his empty glass and drew his free hand to her waist. She rocked her hips in tune, grinding her wet sex against his cock. Vegeta's fingers twitched and slowly, he cupped her ass. Clever fingers slipped between Bulma's dripping folds. She moaned in Vegeta's ear, fucking his fingers sweetly. Vegeta pulled out his fingers, marveling at the juices coating his digits. Taking his fingers in her hand, Bulma wrapped her tongue around the fingers and sucked her essence off the Prince. His breath hitched. Bulma was jumping up and down internally when Vegeta gripped her ass tighter. She met his stare and saw the challenge within his eyes. Vegeta released a shuddered breath and pulled Bulma closer to him._

_He turned to Pilaf with a gruff voice, "I want this one."_

" _What about the other girls?" Raditz slurred, "You don't want both of them right?"_

" _I don't care what you do with them. Just know this one is mine and don't bother me," Vegeta barked, scooping up the woman._

* * *

_Vegeta dropped Bulma on his bed. He discarded his armor and spandex. His cock jutted from their confines. Bulma couldn't look away from her bronze Adonis and Vegeta smirked._

" _See something you like, little slave?"_

_Bulma frowned, "Don't call me that."_

_Vegeta chuckled, pushing her back into the bed, "Oh right. You're #6810. My mistake."_

" _My name is Bulma. I refuse to be anyone's slave," the woman retorted hotly._

_Vegeta leaned just inches away from her with that sexy, menacing glower. It took all the courage Bulma had to keep his gaze._

" _Girl, do you know who I am? Do you know what I could do to you?"_

" _I know you're good in bed. I was hoping you could make my time here a little more bearable."_

_Subtly, Vegeta's mouth lifted in a smirk before he covered it with a snort, "Are all Earth women as vulgar as you?"_

_Bulma grinned, "There's no one like me. Lucky you."_

_Bulma untied her robe and tossed it on the floor, "Well? Are you going to take me up on my offer?"_

" _You're either a very daring woman or a complete idiot. I'm guessing the latter, but I'm_ _going to fuck that come-hither smile right off your face regardless."_

_Bulma kissed his broad chest, swirling her tongue over his tan nipples. Her hands caressed his abdominals, down his stomach and over every clinching muscle until she found his throbbing member. He pulled her hand away and flipped her on her stomach. His little human minx lifted her hips and arched her back for him. Vegeta slapped her ass and gave his dick a couple strokes. He rubbed his member against her pink folds._

_Bulma bounced_ _her ass against him and Vegeta thrusted inside her. She stretched around his cock like a vice. Vegeta pressed his chest flesh against her back and grabbed her breast roughly, pinching her nipple. Bulma held on tightly to the bedsheets, arching her back further as Vegeta rammed into her slick walls. She squealed as his balls slapped against her ass with each jolt and thrust. Vegeta nestled himself further between her legs and buried his face in the crook of her neck, grunting._

" _You feel so fucking good," Bulma moaned._

_Vegeta pulled out, much to Bulma's displeasure. He sat on the bed and set Bulma on his lap._

" _Ride me," He instructed with a growl, leaning back on the headboard. Bulma levitated over Vegeta and sunk onto his cock with a gasp._

_It was no easy task to take in the Prince and he felt even larger in this position. Slowly she found her rhythm, fucking herself fast and rough. Vegeta spread her cheeks, probing a finger into her ass. Her mouth fell open, but no sound escaped as she rode wave upon wave of pleasure. Vegeta unleashed another growl, bucking his own hips in response to her movements. Bulma relished in the small gasps Vegeta made as he came undone. She ran her hands over his own tight fists as she milked his cock greedily. Vegeta ran his fingers through her bouncing blue curls as she rode him. Vegeta lied Bulma on the bed and grinded his cock against her g spot. Bulma wrapped her moon kissed legs around Vegeta's waist as he took control again. He sunk his member further into Bulma's sheath. He pounded into her relentlessly. Bulma regained her voice, screaming in ecstasy. Her head shook deliriously and she was little more than a babbling mess. Vegeta stuttered a few lines. Bulma heard him grunt, "So fucking tight," and he came, coating her insides with his semen. Vegeta fell back in bed, heaving. His cock softened slightly and slid out of Bulma. She didn't move, she couldn't. Her body felt heavy, but buzzed pleasantly in the aftermath of their night. Vegeta threw a blanket over his form and sighed. As the minutes ticked by, Bulma shivered at the loss of heat. She cuddled into the Prince's side, surprised that he didn't push her away._

" _Was that good, Prince Vegeta?" Bulma's haughty voice called._

" _Enough talking or I'll kick you out, Woman," Vegeta mumbled, allowing sleep to overtake him. Still his hand found her breasts, playing with her nipples. Bulma giggled but rested quietly. She noted how Vegeta's warm tail thrummed along her thigh._

" _The girls were right. I can't remember the last time I came that hard," Bulma started again._

" _Hn," Vegeta grunted._

" _It's been a while since I was with someone like me."_

_Vegeta looked down at the blue-haired woman and scoffed, "Someone like you?"_

_Bulma played with his chest absentmindedly, making circles on his abs with her finger, "Yeah, someone with eyes like mine, skin instead of scales or slime, hair like mine-"_

" _My hair is nothing like this blue fuzz you have," Vegeta grumbled._

_Bulma laughed and tugged at his course locs, "I meant the fact that you have hair growing from your scalp. I never thought I would miss such small things. This world is so foreign to me, even the skies."_

_Vegeta didn't respond. Bulma assumed that he had fallen asleep when he spoke._

" _Are you finished? If you're going to keep talking, you better make it worth my while."_

_Vegeta brought Bulma's hand to his swollen cock._

" _Bulma, was it? Make me cum."_

"Mom?"

Bulma jolted and shook herself alert, "I'm sorry, what honey?"

"We almost missed our stop. You were zoned out again."

Bulma was doing it again. She ruffled Trunks's hair,"Oh sorry. Let's get home."

* * *

Trunks performed another string of katas when Vegeta landed in front of him. Trunks stopped and ran to the man.

"Why did you want to meet here instead of your training room?"

Vegeta surveilled the area, listening for predators, "We're getting dinner."

Trunks licked his lips, "Ooh, am I getting more good food?"

Vegeta scoffed, folding his arms, "I don't run a charity. You'll need to fend for yourself. I'm teaching you to hunt."

The young boy's excitement grew as he followed his teacher through the thick bush of the forest, "Oh like with a gun or bows and arrows like in the movies?"

Vegeta stopped in a clearing, "No, you will use your bare hands and instinct like a man."

Vegeta motioned to the boy. He stalked the grass before jumping to a tree limb. Trunks followed suit, aligning his body against the tree trunk. Trunks watched the Prince move through the forest with his muscles flexed and tapered. His breathing was even, careful. His eyes slid to Trunks, pointing to their prey. A dinosaur roared fiercely. Trunks covered his mouth to keep from screaming.

"Can we get a smaller meal? That's a T-Rex," Trunks whispered.

"Nope," Vegeta grinned and pounced.

He landed in front of the dinosaur and beckoned Trunks down.

Trunks could feel his legs beginning to buckle, but he couldn't look like a coward in front of Vegeta. The demi-Saiyan jumped down, landing behind his teacher. The T-rex roared and gnashed its teeth at the trespassers.

"Your training begins now," Vegeta said, "Take it down without ki blasts."

Trunks whipped his head over to the man, "Hey, wait!"

Vegeta released an energy blast, hitting the dinosaur, and phased away. The T-Rex roared again and took off in a full sprint towards Trunks. Trunks screamed and ran away. The dinosaur barraged through the forest, chomping at Trunks as he maneuvered from rock to branch. Trunks dodged another chomp. He jumped to a high branch and propelled himself towards the beast. Powering up, Trunks punched the dinosaur back, breaking its teeth. The dinosaur staggered back and swiped at the Saiyan. Vegeta sent a clean ki blast through the skull of the dinosaur. The beast gargled out a cry and collapsed on the ground. Trunks jumped down.

"You said no ki blasts!" Trunks whined.

Vegeta delivered an energy blast over some dry wood and started a fire. He smirked.

"I said you shouldn't use ki blasts, not me. I'm hungry and grew tired of waiting."

Trunks kicked the ground, scuffing his shoes against the dirt, "That's not fair. I was just getting started."

Vegeta waved away the boy's objections, "Quit whining. You did fine so let's eat."

* * *

Trunks delivered a high-powered kick to the base of a fruit tree. The vibrations sent hundreds of berries cascading down. Trunks grinned and gathered the fruits of his labor.

"What about these too?" Trunks called, waving over the Prince.

Vegeta rotated the T-rex tail over a fire pit and glanced to see what Trunks was foraging, "The berries are fine, but that bush is poisonous. Step away from it."

He walked to the corpse and punched a hole into the dinosaur's chest cavity, pulling out the heart. He walked to Trunks and held out the organ. Trunks set down his nuts and berries.

Trunks sniffed the muscle warily, "What is that?"

"A true warrior eats the heart first, fresh," Vegeta answered, yanking away a piece of the heart with his teeth.

"We don't cook it?" Trunks asked, wrinkling his nose.

Vegeta handed the bloody organ to the young Saiyan. Hesitantly, Trunks nibbled on a tender piece.

His blue eyes lit up, "It tastes better than I thought!"

Vegeta chuckled and took another bite. The Prince discarded the rest and returned to cooking the tail. Despite the Prince touting how warriors should eat from the wild, Trunks noticed him seasoning the tail as it roasted on the pit. Finally, the tail was fully cooked and Vegeta used his own energy spheres to cut the tail into slices. He tipped over a log, using the trunk as a bench. Trunks used two large leaves as plates and divvied up the berries and nuts between the two males. He scooted over on the log and passed a leaf to the Prince. Vegeta grunted a thanks and tore into his meal. Trunks scarfed down his food and readily accepted another helping of meat from Vegeta.

"You've gotten stronger, slight as it may be," Vegeta commented, wiping his mouth.

Trunks's eyes glittered, "Really, you can tell already?"

Vegeta nodded, "You're on your way."

The two ate in silence, enjoying the hoots of owls and fireflies dancing on the horizons of mountains.

"Why are you obsessed with being on the Elite Saiyan Guard anyway?" Vegeta voiced the question that had been nagging him.

Trunks gulped down a bottle of water. He gasped for air and wiped his mouth, "I want to protect my family. I want us to always have food and a good home and just be happy. There's no age limit to be in the guard so I can start now."

"Children shouldn't be in the guard. You're too young."

Trunks frowned, "That's not fair. You were fighting on planets when you were younger than me."

"I was captured as a child. I didn't have a choice," Vegeta bit back.

Trunks fell silent, "I didn't know that."

Vegeta stood and kicked dirt over the fire pit. Trunks didn't ask any questions and continued to nibble on his dinner.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," Vegeta spoke abruptly.

"So soon?" Trunks sniffed. He had been warned this would happen, but he'd grown comfortable with Vegeta the past few weeks. He didn't want him to leave, even if it was temporary.

"Not soon enough," Vegeta growled, taking a seat on the log, "I've had enough of this mud planet."

Trunks looked up at the stars and leaned into the Saiyan's shoulder. Vegeta glared down at his closeness, but didn't comment.

"How long will you be gone? Where are you going?" Trunks asked in a whisper.

Vegeta shrugged, "Weeks I guess. I don't have a timeline. I have to oversee the acquisition of some important materials for Planet Vegeta. You better not slack on your training either while I'm away."

Trunks shook his head vehemently, "I won't, I promise."

Vegeta stared out at the open sky. He would be returning to his planet soon. Blue skies and cool breezes would be replaced by red, desert scenery and humid nights. Would it feel familiar to him? For twenty years his 'home' was a claustrophobic metal room on Frieza's ship, deprived of anything more than a cot and a single overhead light. Now he was returning a hero, but returning to what? A snore pulled Vegeta from his internal dialogue. Vegeta looked down at the young Saiyan, lying against his shoulder. Another light snore escaped Trunks's mouth. His leaf plate fell out of his hand and fluttered to the ground. Vegeta fixed his mouth to bark at the boy to wake up, but only an exasperated groan escaped. Gingerly, Vegeta lifted the boy into his arms. On reflex, Trunks wrapped his arms around the Saiyan's thick neck. Vegeta levitated with a snort and headed back to his room with Trunks in tow.

"Damn kid is making me soft."

**Another chapter down and only one more to go before Bulma and Vegeta meet again. While this flashback was more sexual, the next should bring to a better light the relationship Bulma and Vegeta built before Bulma left. As always, please review and thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Love In Season**

**Ch. 8**

Goten smiled at Trunks and pulled out his toy chest, "Uncle Raditz said Prince Vegeta was leaving soon. Is that true?"

Trunks rooted through the chest, "Yeah. He doesn't know how long he'll be gone either."

Goten sat on his bed, bouncing a little, "So do you still like Prince Vegeta? Is he still as scary as he looks on TV?"

Trunks laughed, pulling out a baseball and bat from the chest, "I don't think he's that scary. He's pretty grumpy in person, but I like him. He's taught me some cool moves and how to hunt. We took down a big dinosaur!"

Trunks pulled out a pair of T-rex teeth as proof, "I'm going to make him a gift before he leaves too!"

Raditz walked past the open door, "You're giving Vegeta a gift?"

Trunks grew meek at the gruff tone of the older Saiyan. He turned to Raditz, hiding the teeth under his leg.

"It's to say thank you for helping me and stuff," the boy muttered.

Raditz shrugged, "Vegeta doesn't do well with gifts. He doesn't trust many people, but who knows? He seems different with you. Just make sure it's not something that would embarrass him or you'll get your feelings hurt kid."

* * *

"Um, I made this for you," Trunks said, handing over the present.

Vegeta glanced up from his packing. It would be a short trip, but Nappa and Raditz had whined about wanting to leave Earth until Vegeta relented.

' _If it will shut them up, they can stay in space for all I care.'_

Luckily for Trunks, the extra bodies meant a different aircraft and he'd made it just as Vegeta was leaving his hotel room. The Prince tentatively took the gift, sparing a quizzical glance at his comrades.

"Don't look at me. I don't know what the brat planned. I just want to leave for Morphes. I hope somebody gets hostile. Ally or not, I wouldn't mind rearranging the scenery a bit," Nappa expressed, flexing his fingers.

"This is not a purging mission. Have some restraint or I will leave you here, you buffoon," Vegeta uttered, turning back to Trunks.

Nappa and Raditz stood behind the two, trying unsuccessfully to see the hastily wrapped present. Vegeta inspected the blue tissue paper and felt the form of the gift before tearing it away. The tissue paper shredded, revealing a simple homemade necklace.

"I took two of the T-rex teeth from our hunt and made each of us a necklace. My grandpa helped me clean it and everything," Trunks explained, trying to dispel the nerves in his voice.

Vegeta eyed the necklace with a wary curiosity when he heard chuckling behind him.

"The runt gave you jewelry?" Nappa wheezed, holding his sides, "What use would any man, much less a Saiyan have with that?"

"Well I sharpened it so you could maybe use it as a weapon too," Trunks defended weakly.

Nappa's laugh grew, "That couldn't even break our skin! I guess this is what happens when a brat is raised by a weakling mother instead of a true Saiyan."

"Shut up Nappa," Vegeta said lowly. He shifted his look from the necklace to the young Saiyan.

The Saiyan balled the necklace in his hand and shoved it in his pocket. He slung a simple duffle bag over his shoulder and walked to the door.

"Keep your scouter on just in case Trunks and you better be even stronger when I return," Vegeta warned.

He motioned for the other men to move. They walked down to the lobby and with a streak of light the men disappeared in the night.

* * *

"He didn't like it?" Goten asked.

The younger Saiyan threw a punch at Trunk; Trunks flipped back on the grass. He planted his feet firmly and launched at his friend. Goten blocked the boy's kick, sending a ki blast to create some distance. Trunks held up his arms to block the blast and rolled back. He held up his hand.

"One sec, Goten."

Goten jogged to his friend and helped him up, "You want to take a break and get some snacks?"

Trunks nodded, wiping the sweat off with his wristband. Goten ran inside and straight into the kitchen. He pulled out meat skewers, rice and soup that his mom had prepared, passing them to Trunks. Trunks took the food and sat at the dining room table.

"Vegeta didn't say anything. He just balled it up in his pocket and told me to keep training and Nappa laughed at me. It was stupid."

"No it wasn't. Vegeta should have said thank you. That's the right thing to do even if you don't like something."

"Hey boys! Whatcha talking about? Ooh, is that meat fresh?" Goku asked, walking into the kitchen.

He dropped a giant fish on the floor and rummaged through the fridge. Trunks looked back at Goku's trail of water and muddy footprints from the front door to the kitchen. Goten shook his head with a grin.

"Dad! Mom is going to yell at you when she sees the mess you made."

Goku pulled his attention away from a bowl of soba noodles he'd scarfed down in record time and looked at the mess.

"Oh geez you're right. Chi Chi's gonna freak. You boys wouldn't mind helping me get some of this mud up, would you?"

Trunks sighed and slid off the dining room chair, "I'll get a mop."

"Dad, there's a field day at the school! Are you coming this year?" Goten asked, putting the mop away in the closet.

Goku moved back to the fridge, making room for the fish, "Field day? What's that?"

"It's like a competition for all the second graders and their parents. We play a lot of games like racing or tug of war and whoever wins gets a prize," Goten explained, "This year it's a gift card to the new all you can eat buffet place in the city. The school has lunch for whoever comes too."

Goku's eyes lit up, "So I can train and your school will feed me? I bet it's not as good as Chi Chi's homecooked meals, but that sounds nice, especially that prize. Sign me up!"

Goten cheered, "You're the strongest, fastest person I know and we don't have any Saiyans in class except me and Trunks so I know we'll win the prize!"

Trunks watched the pair silently. He pushed himself from the table and excused himself. The boy walked to the bathroom and locked the door. It was the strangest thing. Goten's relationship with his dad never bothered him before, but this time he couldn't shake the agitation that built up in his chest. Goku was a goofball who often forgot any activity that wasn't fighting. He was usually out on missions or something related to farming, but never seemed to miss much. Goku was there for birthdays, major holidays, all the days that meant something to Chi Chi, Gohan, and his best friend, Goten. The jovial Saiyan was far from perfect, but he was there. That's what soured Trunks's mood. Goku was there, which was more than Trunks could say for the man that sired him. The thought created a lump in his throat he couldn't explain. Trunks sprayed some water in his face and left the bathroom.

"Hey, Goten. I'm not really feeling good. I think I'll just head home."

Goten scratched his head, "Did you eat something bad?"

Trunks shook his head, "I'm probably just tired. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

The smell of curry greeted Trunks when he returned home. Bulma called him to the kitchen. Trunks ran in, stopping short when he saw Yamcha at the dinner table. Trunks sulked to a chair.

"Hey Mom."

Bulma dropped a bowl of curry and rice in front of him and Yamcha, "How's my favorite son doing?"

"I'm your only son," Trunks grinned.

Bulma returned his smile and took a seat. Yamcha cleaned his bowl and held it up for Bulma.

"Is there any more left?"

"Yeah, at your house," Trunks mumbled, stuffing a carrot in his mouth.

Bulma plastered on a smile and took the bowl. She pinched Trunks's arm as she passed as a warning. Yamcha hadn't heard and continued speaking.

"Hey, Trunks. Your mom was telling me about some field day coming up at your school," Yamcha said.

Trunks glared down at his food, but forced out a cordial response, "Yeah, its supposed to be for parents and kids. Mom said she couldn't make it though."

Bulma passed Yamcha more food and placed a soft hand on Trunks's shoulder, "I did say I would try though. I just don't know if I can take off for your 2nd grade graduation and your field day."

"I know. I understand," Trunks answered, picking at his rice.

Yamcha leaned back in his chair. He released a belch and gave Bulma a sheepish grin, "Well Trunks I used to be a baseball player. Played for the Taitans for a while. I can do your little field day with you."

"I think it's only for family, sorry."

"About that," Yamcha said, rising.

Yamcha rounded the table to Bulma. He sank on one knee, looking at Bulma eye to eye.

"Bulma, we've been dating on and off for two years now. I care about you and Trunks and I want to take it to the next level."

Bulma sat up straighter, "Yamcha, what are you saying?"

"Bulma, will you marry me?" Yamcha asked, pulling out a box with a small gold ring.

Trunks launched from his seat, "What? No! Mom, say no!"

Bulma stuttered and pushed away from the table. She beckoned Yamcha up.

"Mom, please say no."

Yamcha shot the boy a glare. Bulma kissed her son's forehead, "Trunks, can you go to your room?"

Trunks pushed past Yamcha and stomped to his room. He threw himself on his bed. Bulma cupped Yamcha's cheek, giving it a light kiss.

"I really don't know what to say, Yamcha."

"Just say yes," Yamcha urged.

Bulma rubbed the stress lines from her eyes, "Trunks is just so upset. I wasn't expecting that."

Yamcha snorted, "He's just being dramatic. He's a kid. He'll get over it."

Bulma shook her head, "I'm not going to say no, but I'm not saying yes. Just let me talk to my son. I think you should go home for now."

Yamcha shoved the ring back in his pocket, walking toward the door. Bulma leaned in to place a peck on his cheek, but Yamcha leaned away with a frown.

"I can't believe you're seriously stringing me along and you still want a kiss. Talk to your kid and call me up when you're done playing games."

Yamcha slammed the door and Bulma released a shaky breath, falling back against the doorframe. Finding her strength, Bulma journeyed to Trunks's room. His door was locked and Bulma knocked lightly.

"Trunks, honey? Yamcha's gone. Can you open the door so we can talk?"

Bulma heard shuffling and the door creaked open. Trunks's face was streaked with a few stray tears as he returned to his bed. Bulma sat at the foot of his bed, smoothing out the blue comforter.

"Are you going to marry him?" The young Saiyan asked.

"I'm…thinking about it. I know Yamcha isn't your favorite, but I didn't expect you to act like that," Bulma answered carefully.

"I don't want him to be my dad. I don't like him," Trunks countered.

Bulma brushed Trunks's bangs from his face, "Why don't you? Yamcha is perfectly fine."

"He's weak. He's not going to be a good protector. He isn't loyal."

Bulma cut him off, "How do you know that, Mister Man?"

Trunks shrugged, "I heard you crying to Grandma about him cheating and he's always flirting with other girls. Besides he only tolerates me. He doesn't like me either."

Bulma pulled her son into a tight hug, "I don't want you to worry about any of this adult stuff. Just know I didn't make any decisions and I won't until I know both of us are happy and protected, ok?"

Trunks nodded stiffly. Bulma rose, tucking Trunks in.

"Good. Now I'm going to clean up downstairs and head to bed. I know you don't have school tomorrow, but don't stay up too late."

Bulma went back downstairs, mulling over her offer. She placed the leftovers in the fridge and pulled out carrots to chop for tomorrow's meal. If she were being honest, she knew she didn't love Yamcha. She had been in love before and this feeling felt dull by comparison. In a way Bulma thought that was a good thing. Getting over Vegeta had taken a while. She had pulled herself out her bed for no other reason, but her son needed her. Yamcha was safe. Their relationship was a bit shallow, but comfortable. He made decent money playing baseball, even during Frieza's reign. She could afford to work less and do more with Trunks. She already liked Yamcha; she could learn to love him.

While daydreaming, Bulma's knife slipped and cut her hand. Bulma reeled back and grabbed a discarded rag. She covered the cut with the rag, putting pressure on the mark. Bulma ran her hand over some cool water, braving the sharp nicks as the water purified the wound. A bitter smile fell on Bulma's face as she placed a Band-Aid over her cut. As she stared at her hand, her mind wandered from Yamcha to the Saiyan Prince.

* * *

_"#6810, you have a customer waiting," Pilaf announced, tossing her an outfit._

_Bulma caught the nearly sheer white nightgown and changed. She'd forgotten to ask who the client was. It hardly mattered; they were all the same. Her thoughts wandered to the Prince a couple weeks ago. He was commanding, but not harsh like she'd expected him to be. He roved over her body with the expertise of an old lover and every client she'd had since came up short in comparison. Bulma sighed and shook the daydream away. She walked to the room assigned to her clients when she heard a familiar voice. Bulma creaked the door open to see Vegeta leaning against the wall. His clothes were torn, bloodied, and his breath seemed labored._

_"You came back? Oh my god, you're hurt!" the Earthling exclaimed, rushing to Vegeta._

_Bulma touched his shoulder only for him to swat her hand away. Vegeta staggered back against the wall. Hot rage simmered in his onyx eyes, but his voice was still a honeyed venom when he spoke._

_"Don't touch me. Just give me a moment woman."_

_Vegeta opened his mouth to yell some more, but a seething look from Bulma tempered him further._

_"You requested me and you're telling ME not to touch you?"_

_Before Vegeta could shoot out a biting remark, a violent cough erupted from him and he dropped to the floor. Panic set in Bulma's face. She ran to the bathroom and turned on the shower and bath. She hooked her arm around Vegeta's, ignoring how his fresh blood clung to her skin._

_"Ok, rinse your blood off in the shower while I run you a special bath, "Bulma instructed._

_"Special how?" Vegeta grunted, stepping slowly toward the bathroom._

_"The water is special."_

_Vegeta settled on the edge of the tub, "I'm not getting in."_

_Bulma placed her hand on her hips, fuming at the Prince, "Ugh, are you always this stubborn?"_

_"Are you always this loud?" Vegeta complained, "I don't trust you. You could put something weird in my bath. Just leave me and I'll heal without your help."_

_"I'm not letting you bleed all over the place so get over here so I can treat your wounds."_

_Vegeta rolled his eyes, "Like a couple drops of blood would hurt you."_

_Bulma stomped her feet, "Get in the shower!"_

_Her rage quelled long enough to hand Vegeta a towel before she stomped out. The outburst stunned and impressed him from the slip of the woman. Begrudgingly, he peeled off the remnants of his armor and cleansed himself in the shower. The warm water soothed his bruises but caused his numerous cuts to sting under the pressure. Vegeta fought back a hiss and focused in scrubbing away the caked-on dirt and blood. Bulma returned with a handful of vials. She turned off the water from the bathtub and poured a few drops of a glowing green essence. She set the glowing essence aside and poured in the other remaining oils. Vegeta stepped out of his shower. He peered over at the serene bath water. Bulma patted the edge of the tub gently._

_"Get in."_

_"You first," Vegeta responded._

_His tail curled even tighter around his waist. Bulma sighed, stripping away her gown. She smirked watching Vegeta's hungry eyes drink in the milky curves of her body. She slid in the water, releasing a soft moan. This was one request she didn't wish to oppose; baths were such a luxury for slaves, especially in such expensive oils. Bulma beckoned him to the tub and the Saiyan followed. Vegeta sat in the tub looking stiff and uncomfortable. Bulma crawled over his thighs and settled on his lap with a washcloth in hand. She gently rubbed away any left on grime before she started to massage the Saiyan. Slowly, against his better instincts, Vegeta began to relax. No one had ever treated him so humanely without expecting something in return. Even other slaves did no more than what was required. This blue angel moved from his arms to his back, stepping out the tub. Her breasts pressed against his back and her warm breath tickled his neck. A content sigh escaped Vegeta's lips before he could stop it. Vegeta stiffened again, but Bulma didn't comment on the sound. Thinking she hadn't heard it, Vegeta slid more comfortably into the water and shut his eyes._

_Bulma looked down at the Saiyan. He was cute enough barking out orders, but devilishly handsome when he allowed himself to relax. His face softened and the lines of his signature scowl etched away. Bulma had the sudden urge to kiss the Saiyan, but refrained, slipping back in the tub. Vegeta cracked open an eye when he felt her massaging his thigh. His cock twitched in the water, begging for attention._

_"Hey, you're pretty cute. You're even cuter when you lighten up."_

_"Tch," Vegeta averted his eyes, grabbing a washcloth to wipe his face before this woman saw his blush._

_"Here let me," Bulma offered, taking the cloth._

_Bulma straddled Vegeta, scrubbing his shoulders. She hovered over his manhood, allowing his twitching cock to grind against her pussy. Vegeta drew her closer. He pulled her pink nipple in his mouth and suckled gently. Bulma gasped, bucking against his dick. His hand found her other nipple, rubbing it to an erect peak with his thumb. Bulma's hand trailed down Vegeta's tan stomach and found his throbbing member. It felt like steel wrapped in satin, thick and long. She stroked him firmly, earning a throaty groan._

_Bulma planted a feather light kiss on Vegeta's cheek and spoke, "Starlight has a special. You can order me by the day at a cheaper rate than by the hour. By the way, the oils I'm using on you may have a drowsing effect while they're working."_

_"Who says I want you for more than an hour anyway?" Vegeta grumbled._

_He pushed his cock inside her. Bulma bit her lip and moaned as Vegeta began to fuck her. Water sloshed out the tub from the warrior's movements. Vegeta lifted them both with his girth still buried in Bulma's pussy._

_"An hour wouldn't be long enough to satiate you or me for that matter," Bulma replied between gasps, "Besides you're a Prince. You can afford me."_

_Vegeta grinned and pressed Bulma's back against the bedroom wall. He lifted and spread the woman's legs. Bulma wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck to keep balance. His thrusts were slower, more sensual as Vegeta pushed his member even further inside Bulma's snug entrance. Bulma gripped Vegeta with all her strength; her legs were wet noodles the more the Saiyan molded her body to his own. Vegeta tilted Bulma's chin._

_"Look at me."_

_Those tear-pricked blue irises bore into his. Vegeta continued to pump into her and his thumb found Bulma's partially cloaked clit. Bulma yelped in pleasure, digging her nails into Vegeta's back. The slight pain aroused him even more. Vegeta hissed and bucked his hips roughly. Bulma shut her eyes. The feeling was so euphoric, almost otherworldly._

_"Don't close your eyes. Look at me when you cum," Vegeta commanded her._

_Everything that invaded her senses was Vegeta. She could smell Vegeta's natural musk of amber and pine penetrate through the bath soaps and oils she used. His taunt muscles rippled with every pump and she watched a drop of water roll down to the apex of his hips like a dance. She tangled her fingers in his hair, loving the coarse, soft feel. Normally Vegeta would have never allowed a woman to touch his hair, but he'd allowed this girl to do so twice. He growled, not in anger, but in bliss as Bulma scratched her blunt nails against his scalp._

_Vegeta pressed his forehead against the woman and wrapped his hand around her throat to keep her in place. Bulma moaned when Vegeta's tongue flicked over the pulse of her throat. Vegeta continued his assault on her pussy, hitting spots no other man had reached. Bulma was close. One look at Vegeta's arched and sweaty brow told her he was too._

_"Vegeta, I'm going to-" Bulma's voice was cut short by a kiss._

_She melted into him completely. His lips were so much softer than she expected and so good. Vegeta grunted into the kiss, deepening it as his tongue slipped in her mouth. Their tongues wrestled for dominance before Vegeta's won. Bulma broke the kiss, gasping for air. Vegeta sent kisses and nips over Bulma's buxom chest. It all bubbled over and Bulma climaxed, screaming Vegeta's name. The Prince jerked in her a few more times before succumbing to her clenching walls. He came, uttering Bulma's name in a raspy whisper._

_Vegeta panted as his cock began to soften around Bulma's constricting folds. He held her against the wall as the waves of intensity began to lessen. Bulma pressed her forehead into the crook of Vegeta's neck. Vegeta pulled out, earning a sound between a mew and gasp from Bulma. Their combined juices dribbled down Bulma's thigh. He carried her over to the bed. Vegeta lied her down and collapsed beside her. The haze in the aftermath of sex felt like a warm blanket around the Prince. His tail, with a mind of its own, twisted around Bulma's waist. Bulma snuggled into Vegeta's side until he was spooning her. Bulma reached back to cup Vegeta's cheek as he rested on her shoulder._

_"So if you didn't trust me, why did you request me tonight?" Bulma asked, unable to stop her teasing._

_She felt Vegeta huff against her neck, "I just needed a clean room. Don't flatter yourself."_

_Bulma giggled. He was so easily flustered. Getting under his skin was becoming a bit of an aphrodisiac, "I know how much I cost. If that were true, you could have chosen any girl, but you didn't. Did you miss me after our wonderful night?"_

_She turned slightly to see the Prince's expression. Vegeta glared at the ground. He refused to even acknowledge her, but Bulma found her answer in his telltale blush._

_"If I'm spending my money here, I at least want to be waited on by a pretty girl," he grumbled finally._

_She wanted to tease him for calling her pretty, but the socially inept lover looked at his breaking point as is. She changed topics instead._

_"What happened? You were pretty beat up there."_

_"One of Frieza's underlings didn't agree with something I said," Vegeta said simply._

_Bulma maneuvered to face him, "Some guy beat you up? You're on the same side though. You both serve Frieza."_

_"I do NOT serve that overgrown lizard. I'm biding my time. Some like Cui doesn't like Saiyans and took advantage of my weaker state after a purging."_

_Bulma didn't understand what he meant by biding his time, but that was another conversation for another day, "Wow so even a strong, handsome prince like you has to deal with jerks? That's nothing like the fairytales I heard."_

_Vegeta snorted, sitting up in bed, "Fairy tales? I'm not surprised fairies would come up with stories so foolish. Their race has always been moronic and overly trusting."_

_"Wait, fairies are real?"_

_Vegeta stretched and pulled Bulma onto his lap, "Of course. How did you not know? You were just referring to their stories. Mmm, you don't cover yourself in all those sickeningly sweet sprays," Vegeta murmured, inhaling Bulma's hair. He ran his hands through her hair, marveling at the silky tresses that fell past her shoulders, "You changed your hair too."_

_"You're pretty observant. Pretty attentive too."_

_Vegeta continued to memorize the woman's scent, making note of her touches and the warmth that emanated from her skin, "Must be the medicine within those vials or that strange bath you gave me."_

_Bulma knew neither one of those things caused this side effect, but she didn't fight him, "That must be it. To your earlier point, I don't like a lot of perfumes and I'm trying something new with my hair. Glad you like it," Bulma sighed, stroking his arm absentmindedly, "Wow, your wounds are closing already."_

_She could hear the pride when he spoke, "I told you. We Saiyans have superior healing abilities."_

_"Well excuse me for being worried."_

_A bitter laugh tickled her ear, "You should worry about yourself, not me."_

_Bulma ignored his advice, "I still think the bath helped. The oils will help minimize your scarring too."_

_"I don't care about that. Scars show my battle and my victories."_

_"How so?"_

_"I may have been given these scars, but the ones who gave them to me are dead."_

_Despite the dark tone of that line, Bulma felt a jolt of arousal pool over her anyway, "Your scars do make you look extra sexy."_

_Vegeta twisted Bulma's position to gauge her expression. Was she lying? He couldn't deny her attraction was real. The evidence of her attraction still clung in the air and coated her thighs; that wasn't fabricated. His obsidian eyes bore into hers and he sensed no lie. That alone made him swell in more ways than one. Ungloved fingers roamed methodically, not like the others' rough, jerking touches. Bulma's hands wrapped around Vegeta's hardening member. She spat on his tip as extra lubricant. The pads of her fingertips followed the ridges and veins of his cock. Vegeta choked on a throaty gasp, trying to keep quiet._

_"You really like that, huh Vegeta?"_

_Vegeta groaned, plunging a finger in her core, "You can't allow anyone to know what you like and dislike. That information will be exploited and used against you."_

_"Then I should take it as the highest compliment to know what you like in the bedroom," Bulma groaned in return._

_"Vulgar woman."_

_She was taking a lot of liberty with him. She should fear him and he should make her. However, the moment Bulma's sweet lips rested on his neck and he sunk within her, Vegeta could do little more than groan her name._

_Vegeta's scouter began to beep, indicating a message. Regrettably he pulled away from Bulma and attached his scouter to his ear. He pressed a couple buttons. Bulma heard his growl as his mood soured more and more._

_"Fuck!" Vegeta cursed, flinging his broken scouter, "That damn Cui broke it. I can't read or hear a word._

_Bulma picked up the contraption, "Can I take a look at this?"_

_Vegeta grabbed a water, drinking it in two gulps, "It's malfunctioning, do what you want."_

_Bulma pulled apart the scouter's inner workings and asked for a screw driver. Vegeta tossed her an emergency tool kit. Vegeta sank back in bed, watching Bulma tinker away. The previous minx look she had was replaced with one of determination. Her eyes brightened as she scrolled through the various languages and began working. She spoke to herself mostly, talking herself through techniques. As she moved a wire, she stuck a small pink tongue out the cover of her mouth. Vegeta thought the act was kind of cute, but he quickly squashed the idea. Bulma fastened the scouter's pieces in place and handed it to Vegeta. He inspected and turned on the scouter._

_"It should be working now," Bulma said, handing him the tool kit._

_The scouter was fixed and in record time too. Vegeta attached the scouter to his ear, looking at his bed partner with new eyes. He'd never tell her, but that was one of the sexiest things she's done in the bedroom. Bulma flashed him a smile and Vegeta's lips tucked into a half-smile before he could force it away. Vegeta licked his lips. His woman seemed to be much more that just a good lay._

* * *

Trunks lied in bed, but he couldn't sleep. This day felt like a kick in the ribs. Usually Trunks trained with Vegeta when he had a bad day. Despite Vegeta's orders to come only on the weekends, Trunks snuck out on nights he needed to work out his frustrations. Vegeta was always up and open to run katas as Trunks vented. The man wasn't much of a talker, but he listened well enough, sometimes imparting advice beyond fighting. It had only been a week and Trunks was lonely. His eyes drifted to the scouter tucked away in his backpack. Should he try?

' _Vegeta said it was to contact him even at great distances,_ ' the little Saiyan reasoned.

Taking the plunge, Trunks retrieved his scouter. He threw his comforter over him to muffle the light and pressed the video call signal. A hologram appeared from the scouter's eye.

Vegeta lied back in his bed, dangling Trunks's gift over his head. He sat up, rotating the polished tooth.

"It is good craftmanship," he murmured, putting on the necklace. His scouter buzzed on the nightstand table. Vegeta checked the id, puzzled, and picked up.

"Trunks? What is it? Something wrong?"

Trunks hadn't known if Vegeta would pick up and stammered out an answer, "I-um got an A on my spelling test and I wanted to tell you. You remember I was kind of worried about it?"

The Prince went silent a moment before he spat, "Of course not. Do you think I keep some kind of diary under my pillow?"

Trunks looked away, whispering, "Well I did well."

Vegeta folded his arms. To think he was almost worried over the brat, "You're holding up my line for that? I said emergencies only."

This had been a bad, stupid idea. Trunks bit his lip, "Sorry. I-I just wanted you to know."

Vegeta released a sigh. The moments ticked by where neither spoke until he snapped, "Well where is it? And did you get your math test back?"

Trunks held in a smile, "Yeah, I aced them both! One sec and I'll get that too!"

* * *

"Where are you now?" Trunks asked, stifling a yawn. He contemplated discussing the school's field day, his father, his mother's engagement, but it felt nicer to talk about something light.

Vegeta glanced at his coordinates, "Quadrant J, outside of Morphes. I showed you on the map."

"I remember. Are you on a scary mission? I mean, you're not going to 'rearrange the scenery' like Nappa said?"

"No purging required. Planet Vegeta just needs a few extra tons of abiesmal quartz to finish construction. I'll be back in two weeks," Vegeta said, answering Trunks's unspoken question.

Trunks noticed the thin leather looped around Vegeta's neck, "Hey! You're wearing my necklace, aren't you?"

Vegeta's cheeks turned pink and he stuttered out, "Well that's its function! What else was I going to do, eat it? I think it's well past your bedtime, boy."

Trunks groaned, but even he had to admit he was tired, "Okay...um Prince Vegeta, before you get back, could I maybe call again?"

Vegeta shrugged, "Keep your grades and your training up and maybe we'll talk. No promises; I am working."

"Okay!" Trunks grinned, telling him goodnight.

* * *

Vegeta walked into the main room. He acknowledged Raditz watching TV with a look and grabbed a drink.

"You were gone a while," Raditz commented, walking in the kitchen.

Vegeta glanced at his comrade over his shoulder, "I was talking to the boy."

Vegeta heard him mutter, "Of course."

"What did you say?"

Raditz stepped up to him, "Why are you putting so much effort into the kid?"

"He shows promise," Vegeta shrugged, trying to look nonchalant.

He gulped down his drink and crushed the can. Even Raditz could see through his façade and pressed further.

"Gohan, Kakarot's oldest, showed promise. You never took an interest in him. I just wondered if you have a special connection with him, like he reminded you of someone."

Vegeta's shoulders tensed. The frown marring his face was indelible, but he didn't respond. Raditz cleared his throat, speaking too low to risk Nappa hearing them. He'd sat on this information a couple weeks, but he couldn't shake the familiar feeling that rose when he thought back to the blue-haired mother of Trunks.

"I saw his mother a little while back. Pretty woman, kinda reminded me of the Starlight one."

Vegeta stiffened. When he looked at Raditz the taller Saiyan paused. He could see the fury on Vegeta's face, black hatred crossing his features when he brought up the missing woman. Vegeta had mentioned her to Raditz once in a drunken stupor and would forever regret his choice. Gulping down his nervousness, Raditz soldiered on.

"I think you should see her. What did Kakarot call her? Bubba?" Raditz scratched his head, "That doesn't sound right. Bulba?"

"If you're done Raditz, your superior commands you to take your leave," Vegeta sneered, giving him one last time to stop talking.

Raditz growled, "Don't get so haughty with me! We've known each other since we were kids and I've watched over you too long for this shit. I'm being serious, Vegeta-"

Vegeta delivered a gut punch quicker than the eye could see and Raditz keeled over. He struggled to catch his breath and every inhale ached. Vegeta stood over him, frowning.

"You forget yourself, Raditz. At least Nappa has the decency to understand and respect his place. He doesn't delude himself into thinking this arrangement is a friendship. Now get up and leave."

Raditz caught his breath and stood, albeit shakily, "I was trying to tell you something important, but fuck it. You want to be alone? I hear you loud and clear, _Prince Vegeta_."

**Another chapter done! So Raditz tried to tell Vegeta about Bulma, but our stubborn Prince messed that up. That's okay though because Vegeta and Bulma will meet again in the next chapter. I'm already about 2000 words in so I hope to update quickly. As always, your reviews mean a lot and spur me on to update faster. Thank you so much for your support!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Love In Season**

**Ch. 9**

Vegeta glared out the window, stewing. He normally enjoyed travelling in space. It was a quiet wasteland of black, untethered to any man's ruling. It was the only time he truly felt free: free to kill, free to think, free to daydream. Out amongst the stars he wasn't a prince with obligations or one of Frieza's former peons. He was just a man, wandering. This particular night he was a man tortured by memories, not of corpses or failures, but a blue-haired genius smelling of strawberries.

His Bulma.

It had been years since he'd even uttered her name aloud, reserving that sweetness for his dreams. Vegeta growled, pacing bath and forth in his room. He had thrown himself into battle, into the fiery depths of hell, just to forget her face. From the battlefield, Vegeta emerged a victor, a hero, but he'd never claimed his top prize. Vegeta's tail bristled and coiled tightly around his waist. Even after years, it hurt to think of her.

"Damn Raditz," he grumbled, running his fingers through his hair, "Why would that fool bring her up?"

* * *

_Vegeta listened to the water drip from the bathroom faucet. Bulma had forgotten to turn it off. Vegeta lifted himself from his bed and entered the bathroom. He splashed himself with water and turned it off completely._

_The proud warrior stared in the mirror, replaying the night over and over in his head, 'I kissed her. Fuck, why did I kiss her?'_

_Sex was one thing, but he couldn't believe he had shown a slave any affection. Still the feeling of her lips on his was one of the sweetest gifts the universe had given him in years. He'd fit inside her perfectly and even now his body still called for Bulma. Vegeta groaned and walked in the bedroom. He fell back in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had taken Bulma three times throughout the night before she left. His cock twitched in his spandex shorts. It still wasn't enough to sate him; he wanted more of her. Vegeta pulled out his member, gripping it roughly. He jerked himself off, but the fulfilment he experienced was shallow compared to when Bulma touched him. Her hands, like the rest of her skin, were soft. She smelled like heaven, though the woman was downright sinful. Vegeta came with visions of his blue-eyed vixen whimpering his name. He looked down at the mess he made. Sticky cum coated his dick and fingers. Rarely was he ever pathetic enough to pleasure himself like a low class fighter lacking restraint. This was getting out of hand._

_Vegeta washed the remnants of his shame away. A notification appeared on his scouter. He attached the device and checked his messages. Starlight had sent him a reminder. He needed to rebook if he wanted to stay. He only had the room a few more hours. He needed to leave. That was the mantra he repeated as he packed and left the room. The Saiyan had gotten his fill of the Earthling. He was down the hall, nearly out of Starlight when he spotted Bulma. She looked dazzling in daylight, wearing a pair of white shorts and a blue tube top as she cleaned out a room. Bulma met his gaze. It was the first time they'd seen one another during the day. What was the protocol for this shit? Was he supposed to say hello? Bulma greeted him with a coy smile, tucking her hair behind her ear. Vegeta's adam's apple bobbled, but he would not look away first like a teenager with a crush. He wondered if Bulma sensed his inner turmoil because she laughed lightly and winked at him. The little seductress bent over to gather some extra towels. Her shorts rode up her backside. It took all Vegeta had to not rip the flimsy fabric off her and take her in the hall. Bulma turned back to the Prince, batting her eyes innocently._

_"Did you need something, Prince Vegeta?"_

_Fuck, she was cute._

_Vegeta grunted and turned heel, heading outside without a word. He stepped foot in his pod, typing in the coordinates for a short one-person mission. The pod indicated the distance. He could complete it and be back in time for dinner._

_'Or back in time for dessert with that delicious woman,' Vegeta thought._

_He paled. Why the fuck was he thinking like that? She was becoming more of a distraction than simply a good lay. Vegeta was spiraling, he could tell. No, some lone woman would not rattle him, he argued. Steeling his resolve, Vegeta booked another night at Starlight. It would be his gift on having a good mission; it had nothing to do with his growing need for the woman haunting his thoughts._

* * *

_"Vegeta, please. We have all night," Bulma cooed, panting._

_Vegeta felt he was drowning where Bulma was both his lifeline and his demise. He buried his face between her legs, pulling back her glistening folds. His tongue dove in, savoring her nectar. Bulma squirmed and Vegeta sent a light swat to her thigh for moving, all the while feasting on her pussy. He swirled the underside of his tongue over and around her clit. Vegeta covered her pearl with his mouth, sucking roughly. Bulma screamed, pushing Vegeta's head away. She was shaking and her toes clinched so tight she feared they would stay that way. Vegeta dragged his body up against hers until Bulma felt the throb of the Prince's cock pushing for entrance._

_"Hard again already?" She asked in awe._

_Vegeta nodded and thrusted himself in what had been his cock's home the last few months. He'd spent a small fortune at Starlight. He'd finally broken down and bought an all access monthly pass. Luckily Frieza paid surprisingly well and Vegeta had no other expenses so his money went to Bulma. Bulma mewed wantonly, clinching her muscles around the Saiyan's cock._

_"Oh fuck!" Vegeta braced himself against the headboard, stilling himself a moment, "How are you doing that?"_

_Bulma giggled, "Kegels. I've been practicing."_

_"Wicked girl," Vegeta grinned._

* * *

_Vegeta could never decide which position he like fucking her best. One night he would enjoy smacking her ass as he took her from behind. Other nights he preferred watching her breasts bounce as she rode him. Flushed cheeks, hair cascading wildly down her back, flawless pale skin dripping sweat, she was an ethereal beauty. She was a delicate thing his too rough hands would normally break, but she had proven she could handle his rough ways._

_Lately, he'd enjoyed folding her legs behind her head and ramming as deep as he could into her cunt. Watching his dick submerge in Bulma's tight snatch was such a high. Bulma's moans had been particularly delicious that night, high-pitched, breathy and intoxicating._

_Vegeta's thoughts were interrupted by a message on his scouter. Bulma passed him the device, lying back on his chest. Vegeta scanned the text and sighed. He shifted Bulma off him and pulled on his shorts. Bulma frowned when she saw him pull on his suit._

_"You're leaving?"_

_Vegeta pulled on his armor, "Quit pouting, I have a mission. I'll be back in a week. Two weeks tops."_

_Bulma slid from the bed and wrapped a robe around her, "What am I to do without my handsome prince for two weeks?"_

_Vegeta rolled his eyes with a smirk, "You can be someone else's problem."_

_Bulma threw a pillow at him. Vegeta let the light thing hit him and wagged his finger at her. She stepped forward and pulled the Saiyan into a hug. Vegeta became rigid as a board, but didn't push her away. Bulma cupped his cheeks._

_"Don't die."_

_Vegeta cupped his hand over hers and squeezed, "I'll be back in a week."_

* * *

_Bulma showed off her newest invention to Riza, a small drone made from a scouter and a dud grenade, "I bet we could really shift the tide if we had more of these guys battle ready!"_

_"I'm sure. Where did you get those materials though? Scouters are expensive," Riza commented._

_Bulma set the drone down, "Vegeta had an older model. With him on a mission, I've had the time to get a lot of different designs together. I usually tinker around with my different projects after sex. Well I do unless Vegeta is really horny. Vegeta was a mad man last night."_

_"You sound very familiar with the Prince. Just be careful. Saiyans are not the things of daydreams. Don't get caught up with any of them," the robotic woman warned._

_Bulma waved away her concerns, "I'm just enjoying myself with him until the war ends and I can go home. We're having fun."_

_"You mentioned he was acting like a madman?" Riza continued, unconvinced, "was it like the feelings during sex were more intense, but he was never satisfied?"_

_Bulma agreed, "Yes, we usually go more than once in a night, but last night I barely got any rest."_

_Riza gave a look of sympathy and a little fear, "He may be entering his heat. Tell Pilaf. You may need to get on a higher dosage of your birth control pill. Going into heat makes the sperm more potent."_

_"Ok. Ok," Bulma waved off._

_Riza grabbed her arm, "I'm serious, Bulma. Talk to him and get on stronger medicines."_

_Pilaf walked in Riza's room without knocking and pointed to Bulma, "There you are! Quit lazing around and gossiping. #6810, you've been requested."_

* * *

_Vegeta kicked over a stone, surveying the land. It made no sense why the three Saiyans were on this planet. The area was so bare, it already looked purged. Nappa and Raditz approached, tossing him a prickly fruit. Vegeta sniffed it and tossed the fruit aside with a scowl._

_"It's not bad once you get past the spikes," Raditz answered._

_"I don't want anything from this shithole," Vegeta grumbled, checking his scouter again, "What's this?"_

_Nappa scanned the text of the scouter's message, "Frieza is requesting that we visit Potem."_

_The Prince seethed, "Potem is more of a wasteland than this fucking place! What does Frieza need?"_

_"It's a routine scan for insurgents."_

_Vegeta walked to his pod and began inputting the coordinates of Starlight's outpost. "That's not even a three-person job. You two go."_

_Nappa watched their ruler pack up. He'd assembled a tent only an hour before so he didn't have much to get. Nappa, the less brazen of the two subordinates, struggled to ask Vegeta what was wrong. The male grew increasingly agitated each day and usually fighting put him in a better mood. Now he didn't want to purge?_

_"You're bowing out of a fight? That isn't like you, Prince Vegeta."_

_"I'm not dignifying my energy on low grade scum. You should be thanking me for giving you the opportunity to prove yourself." Vegeta smirked, "What? Are you afraid you'll need me to take down a couple of savages?"_

_Nappa growled and stomped to retrieve his own stuff, "I could purge the entire planet on my own! Let's go, Raditz."_

_Vegeta disassembled his tent. Honestly, the mission had already lasted eight days and Vegeta was growing antsy. He needed his fix of her. Without anymore discussion, Vegeta gathered his scant belongings. His Starlight access card and receipt fell from his pocket to the ground. Raditz glanced down at the paper, recognizing Starlight's emblem._

_Vegeta snatched the card and receipt back, "Don't you have a planet to destroy?"_

_"You went back to Starlight?" Raditz asked._

_Truth be told, he'd gone back more times than he could count. He'd even changed his schedule around, taking short day trips to surrounding planets to ensure he spent his nights with the feisty little Earthling. Vegeta was a man of habit; he was neat, structured and methodical. He rarely missed details so how could he forget something as simple as hiding his card and receipt? She was penetrating his thoughts, shifting all his priorities. Vegeta stuffed the items back in his pocket and shoved Raditz out the way. Without a response, Vegeta stepped in his pod and launched it to his destination._

* * *

_Vegeta slammed his fist on the front desk counter, "What do you mean she's unavailable? Where's that rat, Pilaf?"_

_Shu yelped, typing away at his computer to find the girl Vegeta requested._

_"Well, answer me, you stupid mutt!"_

_"She's booked with a lot of other girls," Shu stammered, "If she isn't too hurt, you can probably have her next week."_

_Vegeta whipped the computer screen around. Only about five of so girls were available. That was very unusual. He turned his attention back to the Shiro Inu. It was obvious that idiot didn't know anything._

_"I'll pick out a girl in person," Vegeta spat, walking to the quarters where the slaves were kept._

_The hallway was quiet. It made sense; most of the girls were gone. Vegeta walked the hallway and he spotted a young woman cleaning._

_"Hey, you!" Vegeta yelled approaching the slave, "Where is Bulma, #6810?"_

_The woman shrieked, but pointed a shaking hand at an entrance on the far end of the building, "She was taken by the monsters. Most were."_

_Vegeta's brow knit in frustration, "What monsters? Make sense."_

_"They planned a long event. A lot of girls came back hurt. Some haven't come back."_

_A piercing scream came from the room and Vegeta tensed. He recognized the voice well. Vegeta ran past the woman and charged into the room. He froze, covering his nose. The room was massive, filled with the sights and smells of debauchery. Vegeta understood why the woman had called the creatures monsters. Grotesque would have been an understatement. They were abominations, mutilated by genetics. Vegeta shoved a bull looking creature out the way, searching for the source of the scream._

_"No, stop please!" Bulma's voice was cut off abruptly._

_Vegeta darted to her. He froze in place. His mind filtered in reality, but it felt like a movie, something far away. Bulma was tied to a bed in what appeared to be a spider's web. Two males stood over her: one a hybrid between a scorpion and a spider and the other a mutated and partially hairless bear._

_Vegeta logically understood that this was her purpose as a slave, but seeing it was another matter. He had gotten spoiled with their nightly visits. The bear had stuffed his cock down Bulma's throat, cutting off her screams. The spider forced himself beyond the tight flesh of Bulma's womanhood. Its serrated pinchers clamped around her upper thighs, drawing blood. The arachnid spread her legs into an obtuse, painful looking position. He stretched Bulma with her legs in a nearly 180 degree angle and used its stinger and pinchers to fill each hole._

_Bulma whimpered with each thrust from the two males. Vegeta could see her inner thighs were bruised, spotted black and blue. He could see blood staining the insect's stinger as it continued to piston inside Bulma's tightest hole. He smelled her salt water tears over the stench of sex, sweat, and bile. Vegeta unleased a visceral growl, succumbing to the hell hot rage that promised death. The spider snapped its large jaw at the intruder._

_Vegeta shot a weaker attack at the hybrid, careful not to hit Bulma. The spider hissed, jumping back. The creature departed from the human, shooting a venomous spray toward the Saiyan. He dodged and the spray hit another member in an orgy, melting him away. Vegeta blasted away the spider's leg. The creature licked his wounds as his sphincters closed off the blood._

_"I want more than your leg, bastard!"_

_Charging up, the Prince unleashed a barrage of blasts, severing the stinger. It landed on the other side of the room. Spewing blood, the hybrid screamed; it was music to Vegeta's ears. Bulma cried out as the bear slapped her ass. Vegeta growled. He was wasting time. Vegeta grabbed the stinger and rammed the appendage through the arachnid's skull. Through it all the bear creature was still face-fucking Bulma. Vegeta held up his hand at the beast. It gathered a crackling energy in his hand._

_"Get away from her or I'll kill you too," came his guttural command._

_The mutated creature pulled his dick from Bulma's mouth and backhanded her to the ground. Separated from the web, Bulma rolled on her side, coughing violently. She threw up and collapsed in her own bile._

_"I was done with the whore anyway," the bear countered._

_Vegeta lunged at the bear. He grabbed him by the stomach, lifted the bear up and slammed him head first into the floor. He broke the creature's neck, crushing his windpipes. Stepping over the corpse, Vegeta scooped Bulma in his arms, careful of her injuries. Bulma looked dazed; he didn't even know if she knew he was holding her. She trembled in his arms. Her body was littered in welts, some healing and some fresh. Her arm appeared discolored and a strange bulge on her shoulder told Vegeta it was likely dislocated. Unconsciously, Vegeta held her closer and Bulma gripped his chest plate weakly._

_"You came back," she cooed shakily._

_Vegeta released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and called for help, "Pliaf! Bring me some of those healing vials."_

_Pilaf came running in record time. Apparently, some of the girls had alerted him to the fight earlier. Pilaf looked around at the corpses before he settled his gaze on Bulma._

_The imp muttered something about weak slaves and answered, "Prince Vegeta! I regret to inform you those vials are very expensive. They're not for slaves. I will return #6810 to her room for a couple hours to recover though and she'll be ready for your use in a few days."_

_"Bulma will be with me tonight," Vegeta answered without falter._

_Pilaf looked at the ground, rubbing his hands nervously, "Um, right. Yes, but I have already credited the gentlemen using her."_

_A dark chuckle escaped the Saiyan's lips, "I've killed two already tonight. Should I add a blue imp to my count?"_

_Pilaf jumped back, nearly falling into a melted corpse, "No! No, I'll update our records accordingly."_

_"Good and transfer their credits to my account. They won't be using them. Transfer their time too. How long did they book her?" Vegeta asked._

_"A week."_

_"Then I'll take her for at least a week."_

* * *

_Vegeta didn't speak when the two made it to his room. He placed Bulma in the bed. Bulma had quieted down, though she couldn't stop shaking. Every inch of her body ached and throbbed. She heard running water and Vegeta returned to the bedroom. He roamed her body with a calculated expression and focused his sights on her shoulder with a frown. He gripped her shoulder and arm, studying her lapis eyes._

_"This will hurt," Vegeta spoke, sounding almost apologetic._

_Bulma bit her lip and nodded. In a swift move Vegeta popped the arm back in its socket. Bulma screamed a raging sob and buried her head in Vegeta's chest. Vegeta allowed her to cry on him, waiting for the pain to subside. After a while, he pulled away, wiping a tear from her cheek._

_"You're as much of a soldier as any Saiyan, "Vegeta complimented softly, "Follow me."_

_Vegeta steadied Bulma as she limped to the bathroom. The warrior lifted her into a hot bubble bath and brushed her hair on her shoulder to one side. His hands glided gently down her neck and arms, but Bulma's breath hitched when his hands wandered to her breasts. Bulma clamped her eyes shut, trying to curb her feelings. Vegeta heard her sniffles and pulled back. Bulma's voice trembled when she spoke to him._

_"Vegeta, I can't tonight. I'm too sore-"_

_The Saiyan's face hardened, "Do you really think that's what I want from you right now? I'm checking for potential wounds."_

_Bulma opened her mouth but didn't speak, staring into the water. Vegeta cursed and left her in the room. When he returned, he came carrying an armful of lotions and healing oils. The cost of those oils were expensive; the amount he had was easily a month's worth of her services. Judging from Vegeta's interaction with Pilaf, Bulma doubted he paid full price if anything. Vegeta read the bottles, pouring its contents in the bath._

_"The blue potion is the most potent. You'd only need half a vial," Bulma informed._

_Vegeta nodded and poured her recommended dosage. The Prince slid to the floor. He leaned against the bathtub, facing away from Bulma. He propped up one leg, staring at the wall. The room was quiet, save for the occasional slush of water as Bulma adjusted in the tub. Carefully, Vegeta spoke._

_"Were those what your usual clients looked like?"_

_Bulma nodded, stifling a hiccup, "I'd been with you so often that I hadn't been with any others, but when you left…"_

_Vegeta's sensitive ears could pick up on Bulma's crying, but the sniffles quickly became racking sobs. He turned back to face her. A lump formed in his throat watching her break down. He didn't hug. He didn't comfort. Most times he was the source of another's pain. Despite that, Vegeta found himself wrapping his arms around the woman's tiny frame._

_Bulma clung to his broad shoulders, "I didn't want you to see me like that. I'm dirty."_

_"Stop being ridiculous," Vegeta muttered, stoking her hair._

_Bulma lifted herself from the tub and curled up in Vegeta's lap. She was dripping wet and Vegeta leaned back to grab a plush towel for her. He looked into her eyes. They were no longer puffy or red from her crying. Her skin was soft and a pale peach again. Those oils were a miracle product._

_"It hurt so much…thank you, Vegeta."_

_Vegeta's stomach lurched into something warm. His tail circled around her waist as she leaned back against his chest._

_"That will never happen again," Vegeta promised darkly._

_Bulma shook her head, "You can't hide me in your room forever."_

_"Can't I?" Vegeta retorted, "I can do as I please. I'll handle it."_

_"Vegeta?" Bulma said as the edges of sleep crept around her._

_"What?" Vegeta asked, playing absentmindedly in her hair. He felt her grip his chest armor._

_"Don't leave," she begged, not caring how weak it made her sound._

_Vegeta stood with Bulma tucked in his chest. He placed her under the covers of their bed, snuggling behind her. His husky voice echoed in her ears as his tail circled around her thigh._

_"I'll be here all night."_

* * *

He hadn't left, but she did.

"Bulma…" Vegeta spoke her name in a whisper, "I protected you. Why did you leave?"

Trunks landed at the foot of a large mountain range. He had no idea why Vegeta would tell him to meet here, but it hardly mattered. What mattered was Vegeta was back and Trunks was eager to learn something new. The boy scanned the area, scratching his head. Vegeta was never late.

"Up here, Trunks! I've been waiting."

Trunks looked up and grinned. Vegeta hovered above him, arms folded with a natural air of regality. The Prince motioned up and took to the air. Trunks began to fly, trailing behind his teacher. The higher they flew, the harder it was to keep up. Trunks shivered as they flew over the snowy ice capped mountains. The half-Saiyan lessened his speed. The air was thinning and he needed to catch his breath. Vegeta turned back with a scowl.

"Trunks, hurry up. I thought you said you were an expert flyer. You're certainly not living up to that claim."

Trunks huffed, trying to catch his breath at the altitude, "I've never flown so high up."

Vegeta watched him a moment. Trunks dropped to a lower ledge, wheezing slightly. The older Saiyan landed next to him.

"Who taught you to fly? This should be simple work for you and don't say you learned watching a clip of me."

Trunks looked away shyly, "I basically taught myself."

Vegeta huffed. He hoisted the boy on his shoulders and bolted for the sky. Trunks slid back, clinging to Vegeta's upper back.

"Ah, what are you doing?" Trunks shrieked.

"I was going to spar with you here. It's important that you can fight in extreme locations and temperatures. However, I see I have to give you a flying crash course," Vegeta explained, picking up speed.

The boy wrapped his hands around Vegeta's neck. Vegeta secured Trunks in place, gripping his legs with his own arms. Trunks buried his face in his mentor's shoulder. The cold air felt like it was cutting his exposed skin.

"Don't tuck your head. Try to breathe regularly until you get used to the high winds," instructed Vegeta.

After an hour of loops and dives, both with Vegeta and on his own, Trunks was gliding through the air. He was practically giddy in excitement. The two settled at the base of the mountain and Vegeta made a fire to warm them. Trunks scooted as close as he could to the fire.

"That was the coolest! How did you learn to fly like that?" He gushed.

Vegeta shrugged, poking the fire, "That was how my father taught me."

Trunks's face fell a moment and he stared into the fire, somber. Vegeta took a seat next to him. Feeling his mentor's eyes on him, Trunks put on a brave face.

"So Prince Vegeta, how is it out there? I bet space is so cool!"

"It's," Vegeta struggled to find the words.

Space was by its nature vast, with so many trying to rule and expand that it was veritable hell for the weak. He wasn't weak, taking what he wanted without regard. He'd been raised that way, first by his father and then Frieza. He had never been ashamed of his actions until this boy, this fledging of a warrior asked him about the Saiyan ways. It left a different taste in his mouth watching the boy's face fall after his descriptions. For possibly the first time ever, Vegeta didn't want to talk about his purging, the bodies that lay dying or the mounts of corpses left in his wake. He didn't dwell on the slaves and selling posts and brothels. He wanted to be worthy of the adulation Trunks gave him. He focused on what little civilty he encountered, lest he sully Trunks's ideas.

"It's large, sometimes full of colorful lights or total blackness. All the species on Earth make up just a taste of the creatures out there."

Trunks hung on his words, "Are there other places like Earth? A planet full of water, and trees and mountains and cities?"

"Many other planets with similar makeup were already stripped of their resources and sold."

Trunks nodded. He stopped speaking, enjoying Vegeta's presence and the crackle of the fire. Trunks squirmed, needing to get something off his chest. Vegeta hadn't questioned his odd behavior, but he noticed the looks the man gave him.

"I'm sorry I called a lot. Nappa said I was annoying you."

Vegeta smirked, "You did seem needier than usual."

The boy gave him a sheepish smile, "Goten was talking to his dad about field day. It's a day where parents play a bunch of games with their kids and even win a prize. Grandma and Grandpa can't do that stuff with me and Mom works too much. When I heard Goten got his dad to go…I don't even have one to ask. It's just sometimes I really want a dad, like the other kids. I don't want to be different. Sorry, it was stupid."

Vegeta stood, stroking the fire again, "My father gave me to Frieza. Perhaps you're better off without yours dictating your future."

"I don't know. He could have been a good guy," Trunks urged him.

Vegeta snorted, "Your father was a Saiyan. He was a murderer, a destroyer of planets. He had to be. That is our way. You consider _that_ the work of a good guy?"

"You've done that before. I think _you're_ good."

Vegeta snapped his mouth shut. He looked away and his expression seemed almost shameful, "I'm not infallible. Neither was your father I'm sure. None of us are."

Trunks bit his lip, "Do you like your dad? I mean after what he did, why do you listen to him?"

Vegeta sighed, "He's the king, my king. We do what we must to protect what we care about, Trunks."

"It didn't seem like he protected you though," Trunks mumbled, scuffing his foot against the snowy ground.

"Frieza used a common tactic to control powerful races. That was to steal the children of their kings. Some children tried to run or their parents fought to keep them. The parents were always killed and the children…the things he did made them wish for death. My father sent me away to protect me and I stayed away to protect him."

The pride in Vegeta's voice was undeniable and Trunks smiled.

"Do you miss your friends on Planet Vegeta? I bet they're cool."

"I don't have friends," Vegeta nearly gagged on the word.

Vegeta didn't even have to look at the boy to know he had that pitying puppy dog look. He glanced over and rolled his eyes. He was right.

Trunks pouted, "You weren't allowed to have friends? What about Raditz and Nappa?"

Vegeta genuinely laughed aloud. "What about them? I am a Prince. I have underlings or enemies, but not friends."

"You're not lonely?" Trunks pressed.

Vegeta didn't answer a moment. He could feel Trunks's piercing gaze on him and coughed out another laugh.

"Me? Why would I ever be lonely? Don't ask such ridiculous questions."

"Goku said he considered you a friend," the half-Saiyan offered.

"That moron would consider lint a friend," Vegeta spat.

Trunks laughed, earning a smirk from Vegeta. A quiet settled over the two. Vegeta stood and put out the fire. He cleared his throat.

"Trunks?"

"Yeah?" Trunks responded, hopping up.

"You discuss this conversation with anyone and I'll..."

Vegeta looked into Trunks's trusting blue eyes. Damn kid. Vegeta sucked in his teeth, turning his sights back to the sky.

"This stays between us."

"Deal."

* * *

Vegeta and Trunks lifted into the air and began their trek into the city.

"Trunks, do you want to visit Planet Vegeta?" Vegeta asked, flying leisurely.

The boy's eyes lit up, "I could go with you? That would be awesome!"

"It's your heritage," Vegeta grunted, landing in front of the hotel. He tried to appear casual, but his blush betrayed the thought he'd put into the question.

Trunks clung to his waist, hugging him. Vegeta shook him off with his blush deepening.

"Hey, enough!" Vegeta barked, "Get your guardian to agree and you can go."

Trunks slumped, "I have to tell my mom? Could you tell her? She'd never say yes to me."

Vegeta began walking inside, "Fine whatever. Bring your mother here tomorrow and I'll speak to her."

* * *

Trunks pulled Bulma by the arm around the corner. She chuckled, picking up her pace.

"Wait up, Trunks. You've never been this excited for a parent teacher conference," she teased.

Trunks gave a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his head, "Yeah, about that. This isn't exactly a parent teacher conference, but this guy is my teacher."

Bulma pulled away with her hands on her hips, "Ok, what is this? You said you were accepted into a new program and we were having a celebration dinner! Why are you lying to me?"

Trunks stopped and pointed to the hotel housing the Saiyan Prince.

"I'm not lying, Mom. Please just come in and meet him."

Bulma stepped in the hotel, eyeing the plethora of Saiyans in the lobby. Trunks walked to the elevator, waving at the gruff front attendant. The attendant nodded at the boy with an almost smile. When Trunks made it to the elevator, Bulma drew him closer.

"Trunks, where are we? Why are so many Saiyans here?" she hissed.

Trunks sighed, "The truth is I've been training with my teacher at night. That's why my grades slipped and I was so sleepy and cranky a couple months ago-"

"Trunks!" Bulma chastised.

He cut her off and stepped out the elevator, "Mom, it was worth it though! I'm getting a chance to go to space, just like you did when you were younger."

"That's different! I wasn't seven years old."

Trunks pulled her to the door. Bulma ripped her arm away.

"I can't believe that an educator would have you lie and attempt to whisk you away to another planet."

Bulma banged on the door. Trunks paled, looking around nervously.

"Mom, please. You're gonna make him mad."

"Good! I hope I infuriate this jerk. I am going to give him a piece of my mind about putting these thoughts in your head and jeopardizing your studies!"

Bulma blocked Trunks from the door and kept banging with an angry glint in her eye. The hotel door whipped open.

"What the hell is your problem!" Vegeta growled.

Bulma froze at the sight of him. Vegeta's eyes slipped between Trunks and Bulma, softening slightly. Bulma gasped, staggering back. Vegeta moved to the side, allowing the two inside. Trunks grinned, stepping forward.

"Mom, this is my teacher, Prince Vegeta! I knew I couldn't tell you until we were hear. You'd never believe me. He's been training me and I'm going to be in the Guard!"

"I never said you would be in the Guard," Vegeta refuted, glancing at the demi-Saiyan.

Trunks's elated demeanor dimmed slightly, but he perked up, "Well, yeah not yet, but you did say I would go to space."

Bulma shook her head, disbelief apparent in her soft features, "Vegeta?"

"Mom, that's _Prince_ Vegeta," Trunks muttered, elbowing her.

Bulma swore the room was spinning. How did her son find the one man she'd avoided for years? How long had they known about one another? Did they _know_? There was no way Trunks could have been so coy if he knew Vegeta was his father, but did Vegeta figure it out? Did he even remember her?

"This is your mother?" His tone betrayed nothing and Bulma felt a pang at the unrequited nature of their love.

Bulma forced a smile, holding out her hand for a shake, "Sorry for my rudeness, my prince. Nice to meet you. Trunks just adores you."

Vegeta stared down at her extended hand. His gaze rose to her face again with an expression she couldn't explain. His tail tightened around his waist. After a moment of nothing, Bulma awkwardly dropped her hand with a light blush. Vegeta turned away and pointed to a room at the far end of the hallway.

"Trunks, go see the room I've prepared for you. I need to speak to your mother privately. Stay there until I get you for dinner."

Trunks's eyes lit up like saucers, "I have a room here?"

Vegeta waved him away with a smirk, "I don't know. Why don't you go see?"

Bulma watched the two share a smile in awe. Trunks hugged Bulma, whispering for her to be nice. She rolled her eyes, watching her son leave. Vegeta sized her up and Bulma looked away. His smoldering look struck her with a mix of fear and lust. Vegeta walked to his bedroom. Bulma bit her lip, but she trailed after him. No sooner than she had entered the softly lit room, Vegeta shut the door and thrust her back against it. He slammed both hands on the door, caging Bulma in place. He leaned in, inches from Bulma's face.

"Bulma," his husky voice called.

Bulma froze, uttering in a whisper, "You remember me?"

Vegeta grabbed her, crushing her lips in a kiss. Bulma fell into his touch almost immediately. She kissed him in fervor, biting back a moan. Vegeta picked her up and brought her to the bed; his lips never left hers. Vegeta pressed his nose against her neck. He sent a line of nips and kisses to her collarbone.

"What are you doing?" Bulma purred, hazy from his affection.

"Inspecting you for the scent of other men," Vegeta answered bluntly, dragging his hand up her red bodycon dress.

Damn her for wearing such a short dress. Bulma knew she needed to stop this. She backed up slightly, pushing Vegeta back. Vegeta's tail uncoiled and wrapped around her waist, holding her in place. His clever hand pushed past her panties and slipped two fingers inside her pussy. Bulma whimpered sweetly. She spread her thighs for him, quivering under his touch. Vegeta released a groan, inhaling her scent. This scent and scene was something he'd replayed over and over in his head. Strawberries and honey, spiced with the aroma of Bulma's juices, was a luxury Vegeta only obtained in his dreams. Until now. Vegeta pulled his fingers out and tasted her. Bulma screamed when his tongue darted in her sopping folds and grabbed a pillow to muffle her cries. Vegeta pulled away with a smile.

"You're going to alert Trunks if you continue to yell."

"Then stop. You have to, please. I…I have a boyfriend, maybe a fiancé," Bulma breathed.

Vegeta chuckled, curling his fingers in her womanhood once again, "Like I care."

There was a knock at the front door and Vegeta sighed. He lifted himself from Bulma and washed his hands in the bathroom. Vegeta tossed Bulma a washcloth.

"Food's here. Clean yourself. We'll finish after," Vegeta instructed.

Bulma caught the cloth and slid out of bed, shimmying her dress down. Vegeta gave her one more carnal look and left. Bulma gripped the cloth tighter, feeling herself growing wet again. After a quick wash, Bulma emerged from the room to see the impressive spread. Vegeta propped against the door as the final servants exited. He walked up to Bulma, gliding his thumb against her bottom lip before cupping her cheek.

"Eight years later. I can't believe you're here and still you," Vegeta reflected.

"I'm mostly me," Bulma chuckled, self-deprecation lacing the laugh, "Not as young and pretty or skinny."

"You're exactly as I remember you," Vegeta responded. He flashed his signature smirk, the one that made her melt all those years ago.

Vegeta glanced up at her blue tresses, twirling a loc between his fingers, "Your hair was longer before."

Bulma smoothed the back of her hair, "It's more manageable this way," she answered shyly.

Vegeta nodded, "I don't mind it. It suits you."

Trunks peeked from around the corner, watching the two adults carefully. Vegeta dropped his hand abruptly, anchoring it to his side. Bulma pouted but kept quiet. She knew it was so wrong to yearn for him the way she did, especially when she was still with Yamcha.

"So, Trunks said you wanted him to go into space?" Bulma stuttered out, forcing her thoughts to the back of her mind.

Vegeta folded his arms, forcing a frown, "Your troublemaking son has a modest amount of talent, but has no concept of what it means to be a Saiyan! As my pupil, it is unacceptable that he can't even speak our language or know our history."

Bulma cut him off, "What are you saying? You want to take him to Planet Vegeta?"

"Precisely."

"You can't take my son there or anywhere else!" Bulma fired back.

Vegeta licked his lips. He craved her feisty spirit again. He turned to the young Saiyan hiding around the corner.

Vegeta shrugged, answering her in a haughty tone, "We'll discuss it. Trunks! Wash your hands and come eat!"

Trunks yelped and scurried back into his room to wash. The Prince turned back to Bulma.

"By the way, we have a lot to discuss, don't we? You and Trunks will stay here tonight," Vegeta insisted, drawing her close.

Bulma frowned, "What? No, we can't. I have work and bills. My family is depending on me."

Vegeta hushed her with a kiss and pulled her into his arms, "I'll handle it. Now come eat."

**This was my longest chapter yet because of the flashbacks. I was so tempted to cut the chapter off after the training scene, but a deal is a deal. Now, even though Vegeta recognized Bulma and their romance can begin again, he still hasn't made the connection that Trunks is his son. That realization shall come soon enough though. Next chapter, it's revealed why Bulma left. Vegeta also meets Yamcha and Bulma's parents for dinner and Yamcha learns of Bulma's relationship with him. Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Hey everyone, I got the biggest case of writer's block and actually rewrote pieces and scenarios in this chapter three times. It's funny how your mind can clear though when the whole world is fighting a pandemic and confined inside. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy as we fight COVID-19. Sorry about the delay, but enjoy the story!** _

_**Love In Season** _

_**Ch. 10** _

Bulma pulled a hot roll from the basket next to her and pinched a small piece to eat. She brought a small bite of prime rib to her lips and gave a delightful hum.

"Oh this meat is so tender. This is what you eat all the time, Trunks?" she cooed.

Trunks scarfed down his slice of rib and released a belch. Vegeta sent Trunks a look, but gulped down his drink wordlessly.

"Trunks! Use your manners, Mister!" Bulma admonished.

"Sorry, Mom," Trunks blushed before taking a sip of tea, "Prince Vegeta lets me have this sometimes, but other times we hunt for food."

Vegeta pushed away his plate and wiped his mouth, "Don't want the boy growing soft and weak."

Despite his gruff exterior, Trunks grinned at the older man, unperturbed. Bulma released a small smile, giving Vegeta a shy look. He didn't know what that knowledge meant to her; he couldn't know. Still the thought of Vegeta unsuspectedly taking care of their son sent a warm swelling feeling through the woman. Bulma reached out and squeezed his gloved hand. Vegeta met her gaze, questioning.

"Thank you, Vegeta, for helping Trunks. Thank you," Bulma said in a whisper.

Vegeta met her eyes a moment longer. He could feel the heat of her hands through his gloves and her pretty blue eyes melted him. The Prince whipped his eyes on his food and stuffed a roll in his mouth.

"Sure," he mumbled with a glare, forcing down a blush.

Bulma pulled back with a light chuckle, _'Well I can definitely see where Trunks gets his eating habits.'_

"Trunks mentioned not having all the food he wanted to eat," Vegeta murmured absentmindedly.

Bulma stiffened and cast a look at her son. She cleared her throat and waved her hand dismissively, "I don't know why Trunks would say that. We get by just fine."

Trunks mouthed a quick apology to her, shrinking back in his seat. Vegeta watched the interaction between the two. Trunks pushed his own plate to the side, as if to reiterate his full stomach.

"Of course, Saiyans eat a lot, even children. I only said that to say-"

Bulma cleared her throat, speaking tightly, "So what's this about leaving the planet?"

Vegeta frowned at being cut off. His eyes shifted between the mother and son. Their silent allegiance was made clear. It was a thing of pride, and pride was one thing the Prince understood well. Vegeta pushed a plate of beef stir fry in front of Trunks.

"Don't skimp on your food. Just because your mother is here, that doesn't mean I won't be training you just as hard. Eat the vegetables too, without drowning them in soy sauce."

Trunks grinned at Vegeta and nodded, digging into the fresh bowl. Vegeta focused his attention back on Bulma, who had been watching the two with a little awe. Trunks's adoration played through his features as he slurped his noodles greedily. Satisfied, Vegeta gave the boy a smirk and settled back on Bulma.

"I want Trunks to come to Planet Vegeta. It's partly his heritage and the boy knows very little about our ways. He may even be of some use to the King."

"I would meet the King? Cool!" Trunks said between bites.

Bulma shook her head, "Wait, wait. Trunks, you're not meeting anyone. I'm not letting my little boy go into space! You better than anyone should know that space is no place for a child!"

Bulma slammed her fist on the table for extra effect. She noticed Trunks slump in his seat out of the corner of her eye, but she needed to hold firm. She didn't care if he felt disappointed; she needed him to stay alive.

Vegeta stood, unbothered by Bulma's outburst. He walked into his room a moment and returned with a small ball. With a simple press of a button a holographic projection appeared, showing the universes' different sectors. Anger quickly turned to intrigue as Vegeta tossed Bulma the map. The Saiyan couldn't resist a smile. Bulma's eyes lit up, just as they had when she worked on his broken scouters all those years ago.

"The trip will take two months or so to reach Planet Vegeta. It will be long, but I'm more than capable of protecting you two."

"Two?" Bulma asked, running her pointer finger along the ball's buttons.

"You will accompany us."

"What?" Trunks whined, slurping up a noodle, "I can't have my mom with me! I thought this was a solo trip."

Vegeta rolled his eyes, folding his arms against his chest, "Did you think I was going to spend my time babysitting you? I'll have a planet to rule."

There was a knock at the door before a trio of servants came to retrieve the dirty plates. The humans tasked with cleaning the room gave curious looks to Bulma, but said nothing. Trunks scarfed down the last of his food and passed the bowl to the staff. Bulma waited until they left to continue.

"I can't leave Earth for two months. We wouldn't have a house to come back to if I did," Bulma reasoned.

"You have time to prepare," Vegeta assured, not taking no for an answer, "Planet Vegeta has at least ten times the gravity as this planet. Trunks will need to train harder to withstand it."

"Could I train in the gravity room, Mom? If I could train there, we could go to space even faster," Trunks inquired in hope.

Vegeta's brow knit, "What are you talking about?"

Trunks puffed out his chest and motioned to Bulma, "Mom is like a super genius! She and Grandpa made a room that can manipulate gravity."

"It was before Frieza's attack. My father and I were hoping to stabilize the machine and distribute them out to our warriors, but Frieza came too quickly. The idea was abandoned after I was taken-after I left Earth," Bulma said, amending her final line.

Vegeta caught the change, but elected not to speak on it, "Where is the prototype?"

Bulma walked over to her purse and pulled out a small box, containing capsules. She held up a capsule with red labeling.

"I keep it with me. Shockingly, no one has a huge need for an artificial gravity machine so I've had a hard time finding a buyer," Bulma lamented.

She passed the capsule to Vegeta. Vegeta turned to Trunks.

"Go change. We'll test out this little invention tonight."

* * *

Trunks collapsed hard on the gravity machine floor. Five times gravity hadn't been hard. Ten times gravity was doable, but when Vegeta had cranked it to twenty times, Trunks was physically done. His mother's voice shrieked from the built-in monitor, but Vegeta paid her no mind. He looked like a child in a candy shop, albeit a maniacal one shooting ki blasts everywhere. Bulma turned off the machine manually and rushed in for Trunks.

"Oh my goodness, are you alright?" Bulma cooed.

Vegeta grinned, unleashing a laugh, "I haven't had that good of a workout since I fought Frieza! Can it go higher?"

Trunks stood wobbly and leaned into his mom's grip, gasping, "Yeah, piece of cake."

Bulma strutted up to Vegeta, beating his chest, "You could have killed him! What were you thinking, you creep?"

Vegeta caught her wrists easily, "You're making a scene. I chose to bring the machine out here to avoid people's prying eyes, but your screaming defeats that. Now answer my question. Can it go higher?"

Vegeta released Bulma's wrists as she yanked them away. She was so predictable. Bulma re-capsuled the machine with a pout. She helped Trunks to the small plane they'd used to get to the woods.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not letting you use the gravity machine to hurt Trunks."

Vegeta scoffed and pulled Trunks from the woman's grip. Trunks staggered back, but caught his balance.

"Have some faith in him instead of coddling him so damn much! A Saiyan's body needs to be pushed to the brink to get stronger. Trunks knows this. He'll feel like crap tonight, but be stronger than ever in the morning."

Trunks spoke up, "It's okay. I can handle myself. Please let me train in it again."

Bulma folded her arms. A breeze picked up and Bulma shivered, glaring at the ground. Vegeta softened ever so slightly.

"Get in the plane and warm up. You'll see what I mean in the morning."

Bulma stepped into the plane muttering, "This two against one isn't fair."

Trunks crawled into the plane and settled in the back. He lied on the ground, cushioned against some blankets. Vegeta sat in the pilot's seat next to Bulma. Neither spoke. Trunks could see his mother's cheeks were puffed up and reddened, a sure sign that she was angry. Nothing was going to plan. He wanted his mom to like Vegeta too, but so far she had yelled at him and even hit him! At this rate, Vegeta would stop training him over his mom's disrespect. Vegeta glanced back to check on Trunks and began to lift off. Trunks watched the two, silently willing his mother to apologize. Bulma's mood never lightened as she remained fixed on the window to her right. Vegeta also remained quiet, but Trunks noticed his mentor's gaze would fall to the Earthling beside him. Every time he looked, he did a curious thing. It was slight, nearly unnoticeable to those who weren't around him often; he smiled.

**This chapter may be my shortest because I had to break up my chapters more than I intended to pump out this story. Once I started adding stuff, I realized I had like 10,000 words and a bit of information overload between the flashbacks and the main story. I should have the next two chapters out within a week or two though. Thank you all for keeping me motivated.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Love In Season**

**Ch. 11**

"Ok, Trunks. Go take a bath to soothe your muscles and head to bed. The only reason we're even spending the night is because the buses don't run this late. We are leaving first thing in the morning," Bulma instructed sharply.

"Yes ma'am," Trunks answered flat-toned.

Trunks looked to Vegeta for a response, but the Saiyan was notably quiet. He didn't seem angry; contemplative was perhaps a truer word to use.

"I left medicine in your room. Take a dose for your muscles," Vegeta advised. Trunks nodded, sparing one last look at the two adults before he left. When Trunks disappeared in his room, Vegeta glided past the earthling toward his own room.

"Hey! I'm not done with you!" Bulma called, stomping behind the prince.

Vegeta closed his door after her and stretched his arms. He pulled his armor off and tossed aside his spandex shirt. Bulma's greedy eyes drank in his form. Her fingers itched to run themselves against his six pack and trail down past his deep V. It wasn't fair for a man so built to be so infuriating.

' _God, even his muscles have muscles,'_ Bulma gushed.

Vegeta followed her eyes and smirked, "I take off my shirt and suddenly you're meek. Are you saving that feisty side for later tonight?"

Bulma averted her eyes, turning her back on the shirtless Saiyan, "Nothing is happening tonight and I still haven't forgotten what you did earlier to me."

Bulma reached in her purse and pulled out the engagement ring, slipping it on, "I hope you also remember I'm a taken woman."

Vegeta snorted, pushing his groin against her backside. He chuckled when Bulma shrieked and pulled her closer. His lips pressed against her earlobe and she felt his tail snake around her upper thigh, rubbing her pussy through her panties.

"You should be more focused on what I intend to do to you now, _Bulma._ And I don't care who thought they had claim on you. You're mine."

The way Vegeta said her name was sinful and the anticipation made her wetter by the second. Still Bulma needed to keep her resolve.

"I'm not talking to you like this. I just want to know if you have a change of clothes for me. Since you only have two bedrooms, I'll share a bed with Trunks."

Vegeta huffed and moved to his drawer. He flung a button up shirt on the bed.

"Stop being so difficult, woman. Considering that you left me, you owe me that at least."

Bulma picked up the shirt and sat on the edge of the bed, "You told me to leave. Your exact words were 'close the door on your way out' so don't give that crap to me!"

Through her anger and despite the years that had gone by, she could feel the tears threatening to spill.

Bulma rubbed her eyes roughly and glared at the man with renewed vigor, "You're such an asshole. You pushed me away! I had no choice but to leave and you have the audacity to play the victim!"

Vegeta fumed, "I am no one's victim!"

Vegeta reeled in his irritation. He was not about to let his own anger sidetrack him from his mission that night or the questions he wanted Bulma to answer. Vegeta stripped himself of his boots and pants, tossing the pants in a clothing basket.

"Come take a bath at least. You love baths," Vegeta grunted.

Without waiting for a response, Vegeta walked to the bathroom. Bulma heard water running from the other room. Bulma growled. Did he think their whole conversation was over just because he was finished?

"Listen here mister. You've been with my son in secret for months, beating him nearly to a pulp I'm sure and now you're acting like its nothing. I'm going to need some answers!"

Bulma stomped into the bathroom with her hands on her hips. Vegeta's back was turned as he discarded his underwear. The scientist stopped for a moment, taking in his scars for the first time in years. He had so many more scars. Some scars were so deep; it was a miracle he was alive. Vegeta turned back to her. The earthling's eyes fell to the thick appendage of his cock, rising heavily between his legs. Was he…bigger than before? Bulma thought about it. He actually looked taller than the last time she saw him too so perhaps it was possible for Saiyans to continue growing in adulthood.

"Hmm," Vegeta smirked, "You've come to join me?"

Bulma's cheeks puffed, "Um, this is the part where you give me answers!"

Vegeta bent over the tub and dipped his hand in the water, testing its temperature with a sigh, "I don't remember you being so bossy before."

The Saiyan straightened himself. In the blink of an eye, Vegeta had Bulma lifted bridal-style and slipped her in the tub. Bulma sputtered, flailing wildly before she clung to the edge of the tub. Vegeta chuckled and slid in beside her.

"Vegeta," Bulma hissed, "My clothes are all wet! You let me go right now!"

Vegeta gripped the hem of her red dress that clung to her like a second skin. Despite her verbal retorts, Bulma was physically pliant, nearly submissive to Vegeta's expert touch. He stretched his legs out and lifted Bulma on his lap. Vegeta unclasped her bra and jerked away the flimsy fabric of her lace thong. With the troublesome garments gone, Vegeta found his prize, tweaking Bulma's nipples to pink peaks. She gasped, arching her back against Vegeta's chest. Bulma twisted in the prince's lap. She grinded her sex against his bulbous cock, teasing it against her entrance. Vegeta rested his chin on her shoulder. His breath was labored already and Bulma felt him harden further.

"Frisky little minx," Vegeta uttered in her ear, "You can't understand how much I want you, Bulma."

Vegeta's hand dipped between Bulma's legs. He curled a finger inside her pussy and growled. Bulma moaned and her hand found the shaft of his cock, stroking it firmly. Vegeta tilted her head toward him and captured her lips in a kiss. It was slow, sensual and felt like an ember being continuously stoked until it was a raging blaze. When Bulma finally pulled back with a gasp, she was practically shaking.

"Face me," Vegeta instructed softly.

Bulma turned to the man fully and hovered over his chest. Vegeta pumped his cock a few times and positioned Bulma carefully. She felt his cock twitch against her nether lips. Vegeta met her eyes. Despite his outward aggression, he would never force himself on Bulma. She had to want this herself. Bulma hissed, grinding against his manhood. Wordlessly she communicated her need for him. In a swift and steady move, Vegeta pushed himself inside Bulma's gushing core.

"You're even tighter than I remember," Vegeta groaned.

The water slushed outside the tub as Vegeta pumped, slowly at first. Bulma flung her arms around Vegeta's neck, gasping. He was so hard; she felt him throb with each slow thrust. Vegeta pulled out until only his mushroom tip remained submerged.

"You never liked going slow," Bulma commented softly.

Vegeta pulled Bulma down on his cock until she had taken his entire length, "I want to make sure you're used to me before I fuck you like I want."

"What girl would be used to something like this?" Bulma responded in a haze.

Vegeta grinned and bucked his hips, moving a little faster. He cupped Bulma's ass, raising her high. He stood with his member buried in Bulma and made his way to his bed. Vegeta placed her in bed and spread her legs wide. His dick retreated a moment to Bulma's disappointment. One finger, two, then three slipped past her swollen lips, pumping vigorously. Bulma's spine lifted from the bed. Her toes curled tightly, scratching at the bedsheets. Vegeta pulled his fingers out; his eyes locked with her as he tasted Bulma's nectar. Bulma whimpered and spread her legs out into a full spilt. Vegeta shoved his cock inside her again. He loved watching his manhood slide in and out the confines of her sweet body. He would never tire of seeing himself stretch Bulma to her limit or hear her high-pitched squeaks of bliss. Bulma pushed her hips against him and Vegeta hissed in pleasure, increasing his pace.

He pushed the rest of his thick length into her harder, leaning into his thrusts. He hovered over her, propping his elbows to avoid falling on her. Bulma wrapped her legs around Vegeta's waist, wailing as he pounded into her pussy mercilessly. Vegeta covered her mouth.

"You're going to wake your son," he teased.

Bulma grabbed a small pillow to muffle her cries. Vegeta loved to hear Bulma's screams of pleasure. It was an aphrodisiac in itself, but he didn't need Trunks walking in, fearing his mother was hurt. The prince didn't want to explain any of this to the boy. With Bulma quieter, Vegeta took advantage to fuck her how he liked. The meaty head of his cock rammed inside her body as hard and deep as it could go.

"More, please Vegeta," Bulma begged breathlessly.

Vegeta thrusted into Bulma harder. He arched over her until the two beings were chest to chest. He pinned his hands on both sides of his woman. Bulma brought her hands up against his chest and the small gold ring glistened.

A pang of guilt pooled in Bulma's stomach. How could she have lost herself so quickly?

"Wait. I shouldn't. I promised Yamcha-"

Vegeta growled, holding Bulma's hands over her head. His pace picked up to a nearly erratic speed. Each pump delivered a smack to her ass as flesh slapped flesh. How dare she bring up another man? Vegeta was not to be overshadowed by anyone.

"Let him know you decline," snarled Vegeta.

In one smooth move, he pulled the ring off and tossed it on the floor. Bulma turned her head, struggling to see where the gift had landed. Vegeta grabbed her chin. He drug his nose against her collarbone before layering the skin with kisses. Bulma hissed as everything became overly sensitive.

"Right there. Fuck Vegeta yes," Bulma mewed.

His arms closed around Bulma's body. He hugged her chest to chest as she convulsed in his grasp. Bulma's pussy tightened around him as she sobbed. She buried her face against his shoulder to muffle herself. Vegeta's balls tightened. With a wracked cry, the prince released his semen in a violent jolt. Bulma's cunt milked him, sucking every drop it could before the overflow spewed out. The shockwave of pleasure rippled through the two and slowly Vegeta pried himself outside of her tight heat.

"Good girl," Vegeta complimented between pants.

"Vegeta, that felt so good," Bulma replied, her words coming out slurred.

Vegeta tossed back the bed sheets and Bulma settled underneath the covers. Vegeta passed her a small bottle of pills. He kissed her forehead, laying her bangs to the side.

"Take this or Trunks won't be the only one sore tomorrow."

The Saiyan left the room and returned with a glass of water. Bulma took the drink with gratitude. She wondered when was the last time she had been ravished like that.

"I bet your little Yamcha can't compete with that," Vegeta commented, slipping back in bed.

Bulma turned away. He was right, but she wasn't going to tell him that. The prince kissed the back of her neck, nipping at her soft skin. Each love bite commanded the same word: mine.

' _He's always been so possessive,'_ Bulma thought, but she couldn't deny how much she missed him.

* * *

_Light shone through the blinds of the room and Vegeta groaned. Normally, he would have rolled over and used the covers to replicate the dark, but a warm mass was stopping him._

_"A body?" Vegeta grumbled._

_Suddenly he felt something wet and warm surround his cock. He threw off the covers to see Bulma pleasuring him. Bulma pulled his dick out her mouth and offered a smile._

_"Morning, Prince Vegeta," she called, massaging his balls._

_"What? What are you doing?" Vegeta stuttered._

_He stroked her hair gingerly. He had never given a woman the opportunity to give him this sort of pleasure. It was too risky and left him too vulnerable to attack. The fact that he hadn't felt her movements showed how credulous he'd become with the slave. Yet now Vegeta lied content, accepting the lost of control to some slip of a human. Bulma swirled the tip of her tongue along the veins pulsing on his cock; Vegeta groaned. She loved to see the stoic warrior come undone for a change._

_"It was rubbing against me and it looked so yummy. I hope you didn't mind."_

_Vegeta stretched back, reveling in the blowjob, "You could start every morning like this."_

_Bulma giggled, "I wouldn't mind. I could suck you off all day. You taste so good."_

_She spent the better part of an hour worshipping his cock, gorging herself on his cum over and over. Vegeta ventured that it had a lot to do with the aphrodisiac healing cream he'd given her the night before. He had been frantic then and grabbed whatever potion he could carry. Luckily the side effects were more desirable than drowsiness. It seemed that for once the Gods had smiled on his good deed and rewarded him with this effulgent beauty. Coming down from his latest high, Vegeta reluctantly untangled himself to order room service._

_He dialed the number and settled back in bed, "Are you hungry for anything? Besides my cock?"_

_"Hmm, waffles?" Bulma offered and stuffed his member back in her mouth, bobbing it down her throat again._

_Vegeta choked on a groan, "Anything else?"_

_Bulma released his meat with a pop, "Ooh strawberries! I haven't had one in months!"_

_Vegeta sped through the order. The way her tongue was working on him, Bulma could order whatever she wanted._

_Vegeta plowed through his meal while Bulma savored each bite. She plucked a large strawberry from her bowl and bit into it. She released a trembled moan._

_"You sound like you enjoy that fruit more than me," Vegeta commented, trying to not sound offended._

_Bulma smiled. She leaned over and pressed her lips to his cheek. Vegeta froze in place, memorizing the warm, lingering feel of her lips on his skin. Bulma sat back with an almost shy demeanor._

_"I definitely enjoy you, Prince Vegeta. When you're not around, the days creep by so slowly."_

_Vegeta huffed, appearing unfazed, but Bulma saw through that ruse easily. Instead of answering her, Vegeta handed Bulma his bowl of strawberries. She took the fruit graciously and watched Vegeta rifle through his duffle bag. He pulled out his scouter, attaching it to his ear. Bulma's stomach sank. She knew she would have to say goodbye to him all too soon again. She shouldn't have been surprised. Of course, he needed to go work. How else could he afford their nights together? Still she couldn't hide her despondence when she saw the Saiyan packing._

_Vegeta handed Bulma a scouter, "I've given Pilaf strict instructions to protect you until I return. If you need something, contact me. Just don't call me until 10 or 11pm. I'll be alone then."_

_Bulma took the scouter and fastened it to her ear, "10 huh? Those are booty call hours. Do you have a wife I don't know about? Am I the other woman?"_

_"Stop your ridiculous teasing," Vegeta responded halfheartedly._

_Bulma grinned and rolled to the other side of the bed, "Do you want a family, Prince Vegeta? Settle down, get married and have kids?"_

_Vegeta wouldn't catch her eyes, but Bulma heard the hollow tone in his answer, "I'm a Saiyan. We don't settle down. I'll be back in a few days."_

_Vegeta left without another word and Bulma sighed._

_"I thought we were making headway after last night, but it's like one step forward and two steps back with that guy."_

* * *

_"Hey, it's me. I know it's not 10 yet so that's probably why you haven't picked up. I'm probably worrying too much, but call me when you get this."_

_Bulma clicked the button to end communication on her scouter and looked at Riza from the small window on her door. She could feel the silent judgment wafting from the other woman._

_"Ugh, what Riza? You have that look in your eyes again."_

_"Bulma, I don't think it's healthy for you to hover over that scouter," Riza urged from the window of her display room, "You have become quite dependent on the Saiyan Prince."_

_"It's just Vegeta has called every night except the last two nights," Bulma said, scrolling over the message button, "I'm worried."_

_The robotic woman shook her head, "Precisely what I mean. You are getting too involved with a being that pays to have sex with you and you are romanticizing it with something else."_

_"Not true, Riza! We're friends of a sort. We have conversations and-"_

_"Prince Vegeta is not a good man to fall in love with; don't be foolish."_

_Bulma blushed, turning from the woman with downcast eyes. Love? That wasn't it. Sure, she was grateful to him, but love was a different matter. Riza just didn't understand and she was being condemnatory. She checked the time. 10pm. Bulma scrolled to Vegeta's number and dialed in. Without a beep, trill or other indicator, the connection was severed. Bulma didn't even have the option to leave a message, which meant Vegeta had manually cut the call. Why wasn't he answering? This would make the third day._

_"Saiyans are not sentimental. Out of sight, out of mind. I'm not saying this to upset you, but to warn you," Riza started again._

_The hallway door opened and Pilaf scanned the doors in haste, "Maron? Where's Maron?"_

_Bulma pointed down the hall. Pilaf opened her door and handed her a room key. Bulma looked at the room number._

_"I think you have the wrong key, Pilaf. That's Prince Vegeta's room; he always reserves it."_

_"The key is correct. He requested a different girl tonight," Pilaf answered, "Freshen up quickly Maron; don't make the Prince wait."_

_Pilaf made his way to the exit, but stopped in front of Bulma's door._

_"Since you aren't the Prince's toy tonight, I'll need you to switch with Maron and perform her dance. Hopefully your dancing can recoup some of the losses from the Prince stealing our potions."_

_Bulma nodded numbly and accepted the skimpy attire. Maron waved goodbye to Pilaf before turning to Bulma with a smirk._

_"I guess he got tired of you and wanted to trade you in for a younger model. Serves you right for walking around here like you're so much better than everyone else."_

_Bulma stuck out her tongue as Maron sauntered by. Her bravado fell when the younger woman left the room. She stripped out of her casual wear and into a skin tight pink dress Pilaf had given her. She left her room, ignoring Riza's calls to her. She couldn't let the woman see her disappointment._

_"Why didn't he choose me?" Bulma muttered._

* * *

_It had only been five days, but those days were maddening. After two nights, Vegeta felt a little antsy, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He noticed it speaking to Bulma in the sanctity of his pod. Just hearing her voice nearly made him cum. He had enjoyed her voice well enough before, but it paled in comparison to how he felt that night. He lied, shaking in his pod, wondering why the change._

_That morning Raditz looked at him carefully, "Are you feeling well, Prince Vegeta? Perhaps you'd like to end the mission early."_

_"Why wouldn't I be ok?" Vegeta snapped._

_Raditz watched Nappa gather firewood to cook breakfast. He lowered his voice for only the prince's ears._

_"Your scent has shifted and you've been more aggressive. When I first entered my heat, I experienced many of the same-"_

_"I don't need your fucking advice, Raditz. I'm fine!" Vegeta seethed._

_He took off in the air, looking for something to kill. Nothing was wrong with him._

_Something had changed that third night. The day's hell was nothing compared to the night though. Vegeta trembled, hovering over the scouter's call button. Vegeta couldn't call her; he couldn't so much as think about Bulma without feeling his cock swell in his suit. He pleasured himself desperately, but the throbbing in his loins failed to cease. On the fifth night, he broke down. Nearly dizzy from the tight knots gathering in his nether region, Vegeta punched in the coordinates to Starlight. He had gone too many nights without her touch or the wet, sucking heat of her sex. When his pod landed, Vegeta feared he would burst._

_"Pilaf, I need a woman to my room in 15 minutes!" Vegeta shouted._

_Pilaf ran to the front desk, clasping his hands, "I'll have Bulma ready shortly."_

_"Not her. I don't care which bitch you choose, but not her," Vegeta warned._

_He could barely contain himself and his thoughts of Bulma had been less than pure. He couldn't risk taking her while he felt so raw. He feared he'd hurt her without a proper release first. Pilaf bowed to him and ran to find a girl. The thought arose that this would be the first woman he slept with besides the blue-haired genius in months. He was a Prince with countless options, but something felt vile about breaking his self-imposed monogamy. Vegeta crushed the guilt and retired to his room. Vegeta tapped his fingers against the nightstand. Where was the slave Pilaf had promised him? He needed to bury himself in a whore, any woman but Bulma._

_Maron tapped on the door and opened it to find Vegeta already naked. Maron closed the door and smiled at the man. He scowled. Pilaf thought he was being cute by sending in some Bulma look alike. It made Vegeta feel worse. He could see the differences; this girl's hair was lighter and she had gray eyes contrasting against Bulma's blue. Still the similarities were too much._

_"Mr. Vegeta, I hear you requested me. I'm sure I can take care of you in ways Bulma only dreamt," Maron boasted._

_"Shut up! You were late, whore. Lift your dress and bend over," Vegeta commanded harshly._

_Maron pouted, but walked to the foot of the bed. She lifted her dress. Before she could pull her panties off, Vegeta shoved her face down and jerked her panties to the side. He couldn't wait longer. He spat on his hand and rubbed his cock, using the saliva as lube. With a grunt, Vegeta pushed his cock inside the woman._

_The moment Vegeta sunk into Maron, he grew nauseous. She felt wrong. Not only did she feel wrong, but she felt disgusting. Vegeta pumped a few times, but the nausea intensified. Vegeta pulled out and staggered back in a chair. Why would his body be on fire, yearning to release in a woman, only to have such a violent reaction? Even through the fog of his lust, Vegeta knew. It was because he wasn't just yearning for any woman. He only wanted one and his body would reject anyone who wasn't Bulma. When had he become so dependent on her for pleasure? Maron crawled over to where Vegeta sat._

_"Oh, Mr. Vegeta, you're so hard. Let me help you relax," Maron giggled._

_She gripped his manhood with both hands and immediately the sickness returned. Vegeta slapped her hands away._

_"Get away from me, you stupid slut. I don't want you. I need her," Vegeta rumbled hotly._

_Pilaf probably thought he was being cunning, sending Maron in Bulma's place. At first glance the women looked uncannily similar. However, Vegeta had spent months with Bulma. He'd learned so much about her, even the seemingly minute. He learned of her love for strawberries and science, her adventures as a teenager, even her persistent desire to marry a prince like in her children's books. Despite her childish antics, she was one of the most brilliant individuals he'd ever come across. He'd never admit it aloud, but he loved hearing her describe the world through her eyes. It seemed that both his mind and body rejected the fraud. How could Pilaf think some ditzy bimbo was anything, but a poor substitute for his woman? He threw on a pair of boxers and his boots._

_"I don't want you here when I return," Vegeta said to Maron and shut his door._

* * *

_Bulma stumped in her seat backstage and wiped her brow. The strip club had been full of drunk, horny men from all over the galaxy. She spent more time slapping away wandering hands than dancing._

_"I'd much rather be cuddled up with Vegeta than fighting off these clowns," Bulma bemoaned._

_She bit her lip and spoke softly, "I wonder how he's getting along with Maron. I shouldn't care. That proves he's no different that the horndogs out there, but…"_

_Perhaps Riza was right, but when Vegeta was nice to her how could she not think they had something special? Bulma walked back to her room, grateful she was too expensive for any of the men to buy for the night. It had only been a few minutes that she had settled in when she heard Vegeta in the hallway. She walked to the window of her door._

_"What are you doing here, half naked no less? I wasn't expecting you back since you ignored my -"_

_Vegeta's dark eyes bore into her from the exposed space on her door. Vegeta tore down the door, lock and all. Bulma ran to her bed, looking for something to throw. Vegeta darted after her; he grabbed her by the ankle and held the earthling down._

_"Stop Vegeta. What are you doing?" Bulma screamed._

_He ripped away the micro mini dress, sniffing her. He rolled her on her stomach and spread her legs. He could detect the scents of men putting their unworthy hands all over his prize. Someone would pay for touching what was his._

_"Who touched her? Who's the bastard?" Vegeta accused._

_Pilaf ran to the door's entrance. He was positively shaking once he saw the door strewed in the hallway._

_"Help me!" Bulma cried out._

_"It's his heat," Riza informed Pilaf, "Someone has to calm him."_

_Pilaf pulled out his phone, scanning through the Starlight guest list, "If I call Nappa, he'll sooner destroy this place with the Prince. Pick up. Pick up!"_

_Vegeta lifted his head and stood before Pilaf, "Are you going to challenge me for her, little imp?"_

_Pilaf shook his head frantically, "No, Prince Vegeta! Please enjoy Bulma back in your room. I'll repair this mess here."_

_Vegeta smirked and flung Bulma on his shoulder. He practically flew to his room and set Bulma down. She ran to the nearest corner, cowering._

_"Vegeta, snap out of it! Please!"_

_Vegeta's eyes soaked up her slender shoulders, flat pale stomach, and taunt legs. He crushed her against the wall in a rough kiss. He touched her exposed cunt and pushed a finger inside her. The warrior lifted up one leg and pumped his fingers wildly. Despite Vegeta's crazed expression, his actions were making her wet._

_She arched against him, moaning loudly. "H-oh Kami!"_

_Something hard pressed firmly against her inner thigh. Bulma looked down and paled. Vegeta had discarded his boxers and she saw what made him so impatient. His dick looked so rigid, slightly reddened by the blood pumping through him. Bulma stroked Vegeta's shaft, listening to his breath turn shaky._

_"Bend over," Vegeta directed._

_Instead Bulma dropped to her knees. Vegeta's cock jutted forward, pressing against Bulma's cheek. He needed a release badly and honestly Bulma was wary on taking him with his aggression and size. Before Vegeta could protest, Bulma sucked on his tip, licking the underside of his dick. Vegeta inhaled sharply and rocked his hips._

_"Fucking cock tease; I need more than that."_

_Vegeta shoved his cock in Bulma's mouth, desperate to relieve the pressure. Vegeta's cock hit the back of Bulma's throat and she pushed back coughing. He was past being gentle. Bulma took a breath and opened her mouth. Vegeta fisted her hair and plunged his dick back in her mouth. Bulma focused on relaxing her throat and found her rhythm, sucking him sloppy. It was no small task to ease his ache, but Bulma began to relish every mouth-watering second of it. She greedily soaked up his every pant and buck and clinched muscle as his pleasure seized him. It was a powerful thing to make a man of his caliber come undone in her hot wet mouth. He arched and shuddered, and struggled to suppress a groan as he shattered all over her tongue. Bulma swallowed his sperm and gazed up at Vegeta. He was panting heavily and still hard._

_Vegeta lifted Bulma up and dropped her on the bed. Fuck. He needed more, but at least Bulma's mouth gave some relief, not like that imposter Pilaf gave him._

_"Open your legs."_

_Bulma lied on her back and bared her fluttering lips for Vegeta. This time he gave no foreplay and thrusted hard._

* * *

_The bruising kisses weren't enough. Fucking didn't seem to be enough, no matter how good it felt._

_Vegeta's cock hardened still and swelled. His girth stretched Bulma nearly to the point of pain. The Saiyan snarled, pumping himself into her violently. Bulma's nails dug into his shoulders. Vegeta felt hot, jerking like something bound to explode. It was all she could do to cling to the man. The slap of his flesh, muscular thighs slamming against her own filled the room as the bed creaked. Bulma turned her head, but Vegeta jerked it back in place. He refused to have her look away. Vegeta withdrew his hips and thrust back in, causing Bulma to inhale a sharp breath. He'd cum in her three times already, but remained restless. His pounding was beginning to wear even her down. Vegeta rolled his hips slowly, grinding his pelvis into Bulma. He was close. He felt so heavy on top of her, almost crushing. Bulma hadn't realized how much self-control Vegeta had to have had to keep from breaking her. A more grinding pumps and Vegeta came. Bulma moaned, shuddering underneath the prince. Vegeta retreated and Bulma's legs fell apart weakly, trembling. Her chest heaved._

_"I…need…to catch my breath, Vegeta."_

_Vegeta grabbed a bottle of water and guzzled it down. He nodded and walked into the bathroom._

_"Five minutes and then I'll need you again," Vegeta called from the restroom._

_Bulma didn't move from her spot. She felt like she was aching all over. Her body screamed for her to rest. A knock at the door roused her and the woman reluctantly stood. Vegeta had destroyed her clothing so Bulma made a makeshift dress with one of his shirts. She opened the door to see another Saiyan._

_"Shit, I thought he'd be asleep," Raditz stated._

_Bulma took in the Saiyan's features, "I remember you! You're one of Vegeta's friends I danced for, right?"_

_Raditz's face lit up, "You were that hot earthling. I'm still jealous Vegeta got you that night. By the way, I don't think the Prince would agree that I'm his friend, but I'm not here about that. Pilaf called me."_

_Bulma exhaled a breath of relief, "Thank goodness. Vegeta has been so wound up. He's been insatiable."_

_Raditz sniffed the air lightly, "Saiyans undergo breeding periods to ensure our race continues. When an adult goes a period without breeding for too long, his body enters a heat. Vegeta's really good at delay gratification, but this time it bit him in the ass."_

_"What can I do to stop him?" Bulma asked._

_"Nothing really. His heat has to run its course, but cover yourself in his scent. I can tell you've been near other men and that's probably what's driving him crazy. Smell more like him and Vegeta will calm down."_

_Bulma beamed and reached to clasp Raditz's hand, "Thank you so much!"_

_He jumped back, "What did I just say? He'll smell another male on you!"_

_Raditz stepped away from the door, "I'll be back to get him later. Remember what I said."_

* * *

_Vegeta rolled Bulma on to her stomach, placed her on her knees and arched her back. Bulma made a futile attempt to crawl, but Vegeta gripped her hips. It felt good, but it wasn't enough. She needed to smell of him completely before he would be sated. The entire universe needed to know to whom Bulma belonged. He was going to fuck her senseless until then._

_"Vegeta, just wait. I'm not ready."_

_Bulma turned back and froze. Vegeta's eyes were discolored, still black but with a red glint that looked far more menacing. Vegeta flipped her on her back. His hand slid between her breast and circled her throat. Almost teasingly, he squeezed, delighting in Bulma's writhing._

_"Get ready," Vegeta snarled, rubbing his tip against Bulma's entrance._

_Mercifully, he rubbed around her clit and she began to grow wet. She needed to be as wet as possible to take him again. Vegeta turned Bulma over once more. She spread her legs as far as she could and braced herself. Vegeta pushed his chest flush against her back. He snaked his hand around her throat again._

_"Make those pretty sounds again, Bulma. Scream my name when you cum," came the Saiyan's voice in her ear, raspy with need._

_She took his seed over and over. Vegeta coated her, covering her supple body in his essence. Understanding more of what Raditz meant, Bulma obliged in the Saiyan Prince's wishes. She stoked his shaft and once he had erupted in ecstasy, smeared his cum all over her. Her face, breasts, stomach, every body part had been baptized in the prince's ritual. Vegeta's aggressive edge seemed to ebb and he took her more gently. He buried himself in her tight ass, rocking sensually compared to his earlier rough thrusts. Bulma panted. She dug her hands into the sheets. She understood a Saiyan's stamina was unmatched, but even Vegeta had to have a limit. The warrior's movements had become softer and Bulma took that as a sign that Raditz's plan was working. Vegeta fixed his lips on Bulma's throat, licking and biting at her pulse. He was more animalistic than ever, but there was something about his behavior that thrilled Bulma. After adorning her skin in hickeys, Vegeta made a request._

_"Mark me," Vegeta growled._

_"What?"_

_Vegeta displayed his throat and pulled Bulma toward his neck. Tentatively, Bulma ran her lips over Vegeta's chosen spot. Another growl emitted from the man and Vegeta tightened his grip on her neck. Bulma licked the spot and suckled his neck until Vegeta's tan skin reddened. She took a deep breath. She hoped this was what he wanted. Small, sharp teeth pierced the Saiyan's skin and Vegeta howled. He bucked his hips into Bulma's ass and she cried out. Vegeta clenched his teeth, reveling in the pain. With one last jerk, he came._

_Finally satisfied, Vegeta could feel his mind clearing. The prince settled into bed and pulled Bulma up beside him, rumbling contently. Slipping a hand between her legs, he fingered her cunt. His semen gushed out and he smeared the substance on Bulma's inner thighs. He settled himself at the crook of her neck, delivering wet kisses. As sleep inched its way into the corners of his eyes, Vegeta murmured a damning line._

_"My Bulma."_

* * *

_Bulma awoke to a knock at the door. She emerged wrapped in a plush white towel and smiled at Raditz tiredly._

_"He's finally asleep?"_

_Bulma nodded, "Yes, he'd been up most of the day. Thank you again."_

_Bulma extended her hand, but Raditz refused to shake it, "Are you crazy or slow or something? You can't have another man's scent on you, especially not another Saiyan. That would be a death wish for me."_

_The Saiyan focused on the red marks poking from Bulma's robe, "Did he give you those bite marks on your neck?"_

_Bulma touched one of her hickeys tenderly, "Yeah, I have quite a few. I think Vegeta even gave me a couple more when I was resting."_

_Raditz frowned, "I see."_

_Bulma hesitated to bring it up, but it seemed Raditz had a better handle on Vegeta's odd actions than she did, "He…he made me bite him. Is that normal for Saiyans? Vegeta and I have no trouble experimenting sexually, but-"_

_"I don't want to get into that," Raditz cut her off with a blush, "Where did he want you to bite him?"_

_"On his neck. Vegeta was like nothing I've ever experienced. Before he was possessive, but-"_

_"Saiyans don't get possessive like that for anyone but their mate," Raditz said to himself._

_"His what?"_

_Raditz didn't answer. The bed shifted, signaling Vegeta was awaking once more, "At least you aren't fully marked. Bastard gave you some choice. He's still not in control enough for me to be around you, but you have no reason to worry. Now that I've spoken to you, I know the last thing he'll do is hurt you. I'll return in a couple days."_

* * *

_"Vegeta, I'm so_ _re."_

_Vegeta whimpered, swelling in her hands. He didn't force himself on her, but instead pumped his cock against her thigh. He snuggled into Bulma's chest, looking slightly child-like. Vegeta's eyes were still shut in pain and he was sweating. Though he was far more controlled today, this sickness was far from gone. Bulma sighed and kissed his cheek before putting his member in her mouth. That was their routine over the next two days until one day Vegeta awoke, back to normal. The haze in his mind had fully cleared and his body no longer fought his wishes. Bulma watched him carefully. His eyes were no longer erratic and she prayed his heat was over._

_"Do you remember what happened last night?" She asked softly._

_Vegeta stretched and checked the messages on his scouter, "Not really. Everything blurs."_

_Bulma sat up in the bed. Vegeta casted a sympathizing look at the bruises healing on her figure, bruises he caused. He set his scouter down and opened his mouth to speak, but the words escaped him._

_Bulma cleared her throat. She knew it was soon, but she had to get it out._

_Vegeta caught her glance, "Spit it out."_

_"Vegeta. I know you don't remember much, but…that can't happen again."_

_Vegeta nodded, "I was too rough, I know."_

_With their physical similarities and Bulma's personality, it was easy to forget she wasn't a Saiyan. It would have been hard enough for a Saiyan woman to handle him in heat, but for Bulma nearly impossible. Bulma shook her head._

_"It wasn't just that. Why did you request Maron?"_

_Vegeta barked out a laugh, "What? I didn't request that bimbo. I just didn't request you. Why are you harping over that shit?"_

_"Why?" Bulma asked, trying to keep her emotions in check, "Did you want someone younger or prettier?"_

_Vegeta rolled his eyes, "I just told Pilaf to give me someone. I didn't care what the stupid girl looked like. I was trying not to hurt you."_

_"Well you did!"_

_"I already said I was too rough," Vegeta responded._

_"I don't mean that. You ignored me and slept with someone else. That hurt, ok?" Bulma confessed._

_She knew she was being a ridiculous crybaby. She was putting too much on their arrangement and treating it like a real relationship. She was a hired whore, but when Vegeta kissed her, when he held her and listened to her ramble, she couldn't help but feel that he thought she was more._

_"I just want it to be us," Bulma tearfully pled._

_The room went quiet. She had overstepped her boundaries. This was prime time to remind her of what she was. It didn't matter who he wanted to fuck or when. He didn't concern himself with a whore's feelings. All he needed was her mouth, her cunt and maybe her tight little ass, but never her feelings. All he had to do was spew out those words, but he couldn't force the venom. Vegeta sighed. It wouldn't be hard to acquiesce, especially given his reaction to Maron. Plus the prince would never admit it aloud, but it unsettled his stomach more to see her upset._

_"God you cry a lot," Vegeta murmured, brushing away a few tears with his thumb, "Ok."_

_"Ok? What do you mean?"_

_He huffed, "Don't act dense. I mean ok, just us."_

_Vegeta drew Bulma into an embrace. Bulma squirmed. She still hadn't recovered from their previous tryst._

_"Vegeta, I can't have sex-"_

_"Not tonight. I…just want to hold you tonight."_

* * *

Vegeta's body spooned behind her and his tail lazed on her thigh. Bulma made languid circles over Vegeta's knuckles as his hand rested over her stomach. As the bliss of sex wore off, Bulma suddenly felt cold. It wasn't just the temperature of the room or the sweat cooling her skin. It was the chill of what she had done. Bulma slipped out the bed. Vegeta was snoring softly, only giving a soft grunt as the bed creaked. Bulma walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open a crack. She pulled off a washcloth from a small rack and ran it under some water. She cleaned her face first, noting the hickeys adorning her neck and shoulders. Bulma stared at her reflection in the mirror before her façade cracked.

"What did you just do?"

Bulma buried her face in her hands, trying to stop her trembling body.

"He wants a quickie and you just bend over like you have no self-respect. Not to mention you betrayed Yamcha," Bulma whispered.

She hated the self-pity in her tone. Bulma splashed her face with water, patting her face clean. It worked to remove the evidence of her tears and the earthling left the bathroom with new resolve. She only needed to make it through the night and she wouldn't have to remember the mistakes she made. Bulma crawled into bed, careful not to wake Vegeta.

"You were in there a while. I thought you planned to leave in the dead of night _again_ ," Vegeta muttered, pulling her toward his bare chest.

Bulma ignored his jab, "I needed to freshen up."

"Hmph," Vegeta grunted.

For a moment the room was completely quiet. Bulma heard a few cars honking outside. Vegeta's chest rose and fell fluidly and Bulma thought he had fallen asleep.

"Who's his father?"

Bulma froze and looked up. Vegeta was watching her with those piercing onyx eyes.

"Trunks's father?" Bulma asked weakly.

Vegeta huffed, "Unless you have another kid I don't know about, yes Trunks."

Should she tell him? Could she tell him? Bulma knew Vegeta's position on half-Saiyans must have shifted some in the eight years since they'd been together. The way he interacted with Trunks evidenced that, but things were often different when it was your own child. What if he rejected Trunks? It would crush the demi-Saiyan to know his father took issue with his lineage.

Bulma looked away, telling a half truth, "His dad is a Saiyan I met in space. We didn't work out."

"Is he in the boy's life at all?" Vegeta questioned.

"I was afraid to have Trunks get close to him. I don't really want to talk about this."

Vegeta watched her carefully, misunderstanding the reason the reason for her shame, "Don't take it personally. Saiyans aren't the type to settle down and play house, especially with someone outside our race."

His nonchalant answer soured the woman's mood further. She spoke with a more cutting edge, "I know. You think anything else would bastardize your race, like a half Saiyan child is the worst thing ever, but you're wrong."

Vegeta scratched his head, "What's your problem?"

Bulma jerked away from Vegeta and this time she couldn't muffle her tears, "This is why I left you. You Saiyans only know how to hurt. I wanted better for Trunks."

Vegeta exhaled. Women were such an enigma. Did she want him to comfort her or not?

Vegeta rolled over on his side of the bed and spoke softly, "Trunks is a good kid. You've done a good job raising him. You should be proud."

The bed shifted and he heard a hiccup.

"Thank you, Vegeta," Bulma's voice quivered.

"Yeah, whatever," Vegeta retorted.

He tried to squelch the softness that emitted from his tone, but his voice betrayed his ruse of indifference. He cleared his throat.

"I remember that night, the night you left. You asked me a question I couldn't answer."

Bulma bit her lip. She pulled in the covers closer to her chest, curling her feet up.

"I remember," She whispered, "I asked if you loved me."

The room was hushed. The darkness was stifling as Bulma waited with bated breath for Vegeta's answer. Seconds ticked by. Bulma didn't have to be a genius to know the answer in his silence. Yet she kept her breathing shallow, hoping to hear a whisper of his affection. When Vegeta pulled her back in his embrace, she didn't fight him. He spoke lowly in her ear.

"You couldn't have understood the implications of your question. I couldn't protect you then. I can now."

"I don't understand now," Bulma protested, "What are you trying to tell me?"

"Stay with me, you and Trunks," Vegeta answered.

Bulma turned to face him fully. She studied his eyes, looking for any deception. Vegeta swallowed hard, but didn't look away. His face bared the words he couldn't say aloud. _I missed you._ Bulma cupped his cheek with a sad smile. The touch, though feather soft, crumbled Vegeta's confidence. _She's going to leave. She's going to leave._ His mind played the words on loop in cruel fashion. He had been pummeled, stabbed, beaten in sordid ways and her gentle touch had the power to break him like glass. Unconsciously, Vegeta's tail clung desperately to Bulma's wrist.

"This would be a big adjustment, not only for me, but for Trunks," Bulma contemplated, pulling her hand back.

Bulma let out a small chuckle, "Though I'm sure I wouldn't hear any complaints from him. I just don't know how I would explain this. If…whatever this is doesn't work out, I don't want Trunks to be hurt."

"Tell him its for Capsule Corp.," Vegeta reasoned, "I'll need you close by to repair and strengthened the gravity chamber anyway."

"You're really serious about this," Bulma said in awe.

Vegeta didn't answer, biting back the neediness in his tone. Instead, he nuzzled his nose in Bulma's hair, breathing in the light scent of strawberries.

"I'll discuss it with Trunks in the morning," Bulma offered.

Vegeta nodded. Bulma covered her mouth as she yawned. Minutes ticked and shortly after, Vegeta heard a light snore escape the earthling's mouth. As Bulma slept, Vegeta memorized her ki. He tuned his body to hers, commemorating every curve. Bulma released a soft moan and shifted slightly. She was so pretty in the aftermath of sex, face flushed and blue hair splayed against his pillow. Vegeta corrected himself. She was always pretty. It was safe in the darkness to think such things; he was free to separate himself from his usual reticent nature.

After Bulma left, Vegeta had busied himself with missions. He had been younger, more stubborn than he was now. The prince had refused to chase her or apologize for what he'd said. He mistakenly believed that he no longer needed her around; she was little more than a distraction. Was she beautiful? Yes. Was she brilliant? Of course. Did she make his heart flutter every time she smiled or kissed him? Vegeta still had a hard time admitting that one to himself. Back then, despite those truths, he let her slip from his grip. Now that he was older, that wouldn't happen again. Time had made one thing certain. She was like no other woman he'd met and he could have no other. He wouldn't allow himself to have anyone but Bulma. He glanced at the discarded ring, still on the floor, and frowned. He wouldn't allow anyone to snatch her away either.

**So with this being my longest chapter yet, I hope y'all see why I had to break this up. Bulma and Vegeta's talk just scratches the surface of their evolving relationship. I wish I could just have Vegeta confess his love, but that wouldn't be realistic. For anyone annoyed that Bulma didn't tell Vegeta the truth, you will see in the next chapter or two why she didn't want to say anything. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you think of the story!**


	12. Chapter 12

**LONG POST AHEAD! Hey everyone; thanks for reading. I wanted to answer a few questions most if not all you had before I continue. First, no Vegeta does not know Trunks is his son. Despite all the times he was with Bulma, Vegeta doesn't link the two facts, mostly due to the fact that Bulma was supposed to be on birth control during the time she was at Starlight.**

**Second, at this point Bulma and Vegeta are not mates. In my story, since mating creates such a strong bond, I didn't want it to be something done without both people consenting. In this case, Vegeta's mind was clouded by lust and Bulma didn't completely understand what he was requesting so it just didn't take. That is why Raditz commented that she wasn't fully marked and another reason why Vegeta wouldn't catch on that Trunks is his son.**

**Third, Vegeta not wanting to be with anyone other than Bulma was part of him being in heat. Outside of his heat, in theory, he could have sex with another woman without feeling sick. I doubt I will address it explicitly in the story, but you can decide what would be more realistic: Vegeta being celibate for years or being with other women.**

**Finally, this story will have a happy ending so don't worry! On with the story.**

The sun filtered in Vegeta's room, shining on Bulma. She groaned and twisted away from the light and into Vegeta's side. She felt the rumble of his chuckle as he brushed her hair back.

"Still not a morning person?"

Bulma lifted her head, murmuring groggily, "What time is it?"

Vegeta slid from the bed and checked his clock, "Almost 9am. I'll get breakfast. I'm starving."

Bulma smiled and stretched out in the bed, "Ooh, you're going to cook?"

The Saiyan scoffed, pulling on his boxers, "I'll have something ordered. Rest and I will get you when the food is here."

Bulma nodded lazily. A gloved hand tilted Bulma's chin up. Vegeta slanted his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. He deepened the kiss, moving his mouth against her with a velvety smooth rhythm. Bulma gripped the back of his broad shoulders, moaning into the prince's mouth. She rose from the bed, desperate to close the gap between the two. The Saiyan pulled back and licked his lips with a grin. Feeling a little overeager, Bulma blushed, turning away. Without another word, Vegeta left the room. Bulma sighed and wished her mind would slow for her to sleep. She knew that was no longer going to happen.

Bulma sat up and patted her face to reinvigorate herself. It wasn't a dream. She was with him again. Bulma had imagined the moment over and over in her head, but it all paled to last night. Now with the dopamine of the night waning, she found herself with a dilemma. Several if she were being honest.

"Should I tell him about Trunks now?" Bulma wondered aloud, "I know it will be harder everyday I wait, but-"

Mixed race children had never been well accepted by the Saiyans. Bulma had done her best to shield Trunks from all the "half-breed" comments and her son had grown to have pride in both his heritages. Had Vegeta grown the same way? Could she trust the simmering warmth in his eyes when he looked at her? Bulma groaned. There was more to worry about than that! Just one night with Vegeta and she was daydreaming of a life with the Prince playing daddy to Trunks.

"That's not realistic, Bulma. Don't get ahead of yourself. You're a taken woman after all. You owe it to Yamcha to be faithful," Bulma chastised herself.

She bit her lip with a slight scowl present. The scar-faced Earthling had been less than faithful to her, but even if she called off the engagement, she owed it to him to be honest.

' _If you owe that to Yamcha, wouldn't the same apply to Vegeta and Trunks?_ ' her inner voice nagged.

Vegeta returned and walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Bulma followed suit, pushing away the nagging thoughts in her head. She offered Vegeta a shy smile. He grunted an acknowledgment and passed her a spare toothbrush.

' _I promise I'll tell. Just later,'_ Bulma thought.

"Is Trunks awake?" she asked, reaching for the toothpaste.

Vegeta gargled and spat into the sink, "Are you kidding? A bomb wouldn't wake that boy."

Bulma chuckled and shook her head, "Well it is the weekend. There's no shame in him sleeping in a little. I wish I could have gotten a few more hours before my shift."

Vegeta turned to her quizzically, "What shift? What are you talking about, Bulma?"

Bulma ran her hands through her hair, detangling the strands with her fingers. She slipped on her clothes and placed Yamcha's ring in her purse.

"I waitress from 12pm to 8pm today. I can't afford to call off."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed once more at the ring. Why did some measly piece of glittering gold from this 'Yamcha' mean so much to her? He should have destroyed it last night. Vegeta propped himself against the bathroom door and folded his arms. Bulma stood in front of Vegeta's full length mirror, inspecting herself. She smoothed out her dress and turned back to the prince.

"What's with the sour look?" she asked.

Vegeta stepped in front of her and stroked her cheek, "If I smell that other male on you, I'll just kill him. You should probably call off your little relationship."

Vegeta's dark smile sent shivers up her spine before Bulma's anger gave way. Bulma slapped his hand away.

"You can't threaten me into being single you arrogant jerk! You better not lay a finger on Yamcha or any other guy I may decide to date or you'll be sorry. I mean it," Bulma yelled.

Vegeta smirked and placed a feather light kiss on her cheek, "Yeah, sure."

Bulma's cheeks lit red, but Vegeta couldn't tell if she was red in embarrassment or anger. He decided he liked the look either way. He pulled the woman into the kitchen and beckoned her to sit. Bulma hopped on the bar stool, admiring the meal. Pancakes with strawberries, omelets, and sausage were already waiting for them.

Vegeta sat across from Bulma, "By the way, you're not calling off; you're quitting. You work for King Vegeta now."

Bulma's eyes widened, "What? What are you talking about?"

"I wasn't playing last night. I'll need your expertise to improve the gravity machine to my liking," Vegeta assured, fixing his plate, "To ensure I have the optimal weapon, I would need you near me without a moment's delay. That can't happen if you're serving soup at some diner."

Vegeta whipped his head toward the demi-Saiyan's room, "Trunks, get out here and eat!"

Bulma prepared a plate for herself with a frown fixed, "I made it clear that you were not going to use that machine to hurt Trunks. The answer is no."

* * *

Trunks kicked his feet over the ledge of the bed Vegeta had provided. He glanced at the time reading 9:30 am and put on his slippers. He could already hear Vegeta and his mom's voice rising from the kitchen.

"Oh man, they're fighting already," Trunks groaned.

The boy jogged into the room. Both adults were shooting daggers at the other with their eyes. Vegeta held his hand out. Trunks looked closely. His mom was gripping something in her hands.

"Hand over the capsule and I'll consider forgiving you for your attitude."

Bulma stuck out her tongue, "N-O. Do you have some screws loose or something? I made up my mind."

"Do _you_ know I've killed for less?"

Trunks ran into the kitchen and pushed Vegeta back a step, "Stop! Don't hurt her! Mom, what's going on?"

"It's fine, Trunks. Vegeta won't hurt me," Bulma comforted him. She pulled Trunks back and smirked at Vegeta, "Just stop with the arrogant, tough guy act already and relax."

Vegeta's frown ebbed into a smirk of his own. He sat in his own seat with a shrug and began eating his breakfast, "If you need this victory to continue your work, so be it. I expect the NEW gravity room you build me will be up to par."

"Say what you want, but know I won," Bulma took her victory and prepared a cup of coffee. Feeling nice she made two cups and slid one to Vegeta. He rumbled a thanks, sparing another smoldering look at the woman that Bulma shamelessly returned. Trunks's confused gaze shifted from his mom to his mentor.

' _Were they playing?'_ Trunks wondered.

It seemed like one hell of a game to challenge a Saiyan, especially Vegeta, but his mom was always fearless. Vegeta didn't seem bothered by her emboldened display. His tail even uncoiled, wagging behind him. Trunks sighed in relief and took a seat.

"Prince Vegeta, can you pass me the syrup?"

Vegeta placed the bottle in front of the young boy. Trunks thanked him and turned to his mom to speak. He frowned and pointed to Bulma.

"Oh no Mom. What happened to your neck? You have marks all over."

Bulma pulled out her compact and checked her neck. She thought her scarf covered them all, but a couple of Vegeta's hickeys were bare to the world. A flash of panic overtook Bulma's expression. She fixed her eyes on Vegeta, but one smirk told her he wasn't going to help her.

"Oh! Um well, I was outside and got a few bug bites. Must have been attracted to my perfume," Bulma laughed off.

Bulma's nervous laughter rose and she guzzled her coffee in a weak attempt to calm her nerves. Vegeta only chuckled and stuffed a pancake in his mouth.

Trunks scratched the back of his head, grinning, "Um, ok. You're acting weird. I'm just glad you aren't sick or something."

Vegeta pushed away his plate and leaned back in his seat, "Have you recovered, Trunks?"

"Yeah, I feel good as new. I bet I could handle 100 times gravity and not even break a sweat!" Trunks boasted, "Are we going to train some more today?"

Vegeta regarded her with a look that screamed _I told you so._ Bulma folded her arms with an angry pout. She knew he was going to make her the bad guy. She stuck her tongue out, not caring if the act was childish. Vegeta chuckled and his voice sounded like molten honey. Why did he have to be so damn cute?

"Well that is up to your mother," Vegeta answered.

Before Bulma could respond, Vegeta walked into his bedroom and returned in his chest armor, "I have other matters to attend to and your mother needs to have a discussion with you. I'll be back shortly to hear your decision."

Without another word, Vegeta left. Bulma nibbled on her omelet. Trunks scooted closer to her with expectant eyes.

"Well, how do you like Prince Vegeta? Can I keep training with him and go to Planet Vegeta?"

Bulma sighed, pressing her palm against her forehead, "I can't answer that right now, kiddo. All this is a lot."

Trunks led his mom to the room Vegeta had provided. Bulma gasped. She had expected the room to be mostly bare, save for a bed and dresser. Vegeta's own room was so minimally adorned. Despite expecting the visit to only be a night, the Saiyan Prince had gone through the trouble of adding a few toys and posters that she knew were Trunks's favorites. Bulma picked up a spaceship toy.

"Vegeta knows you like the Space Patrollers show?"

"I was pretty surprised about it too. I talked to him about a couple of episodes, but I didn't even think he was listening," Trunks laughed.

Bulma's eyes softened as she whispered, "Wow, that's so great."

Trunks sat on his bed and beckoned his mom to sit. Bulma noted the serious disposition his cherub face took and sat beside him.

"I'm supposed to be the serious one, not you," Bulma teased, trying to coax another smile from her son.

She poked his side lightly and Trunks giggled. He hopped off the bed, "Mom, stop! I want you to see something."

Trunks concentrated and began to power up. His hair swooped into golden spikes and his power electrified the air. Trunks stood tall, grinning at himself in the mirror before turning back to Bulma.

"Before, just transforming wore me out. Now I can actually fight in this form!"

Bulma frowned, "Trunks you know I don't like you taking on that form. You don't need to fight or become stronger."

"Mom," Trunks said sternly, "You're missing the point. Prince Vegeta helped me a lot and I want to go with him, please. Please say yes. I know you two don't exactly get along, but could we please do this?"

Bulma chuckled. Trunks didn't know how wrong he was. Trunks dispersed his power, pouting at her reaction. Bulma smiled.

"Well, I've actually got some news for you. Before you came out, Prince Vegeta offered me a job as King Vegeta's head scientist."

Trunks cheered, jumping on his bed and hugging Bulma tightly, "That's so awesome, Mom! You have to take it!"

The force of Trunks's hug made Bulma fall back into the bed with a laugh, "There's more. Vegeta…wants us to stay here. He wants me on call for any repairs-"

"Yes! I can move in today; I have to tell Goten!" Trunks bolted up, looking for a phone.

Bulma grabbed his wrist, "Woah, I haven't made my mind up. Slow down."

Trunks pouted and slumped on the floor, "What's there to think about?"

"I have to think about your school for one and see how I'm going to tackle work. Then I need to make sure we still have our separate home just in case. You also have to remember your grandpa has a say over Capsule Corp.'s inventions. There are a lot of moving parts."

"That's what's worrying you?" Vegeta barked.

Bulma yelped and turned to Vegeta propped against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

"I didn't know you came back so quickly," Bulma mumbled.

Vegeta shoved a check in Bulma's hands with a smirk. Bulma looked at the check blankly.

"What's this?"

"I just finished speaking to my father about your invention. That is a check to buy the gravity machine from you under warranty. Of course, you would be the only person who could fix the thing so you would have to contract with me."

Trunks peered over at the check and whistled, "That's a lot of zeroes, Mom."

Bulma's hands trembled with the check. Wide, watery eyes shifted from the paper to the prince.

"V-vegeta, do you know what you've done?"

Vegeta tried to appear nonchalant, but it churned his stomach to see her cry. Trunks wiped his mom's tears.

"Mom, don't cry. This is a good thing, right?"

Bulma nodded with a stifled cry. Bulma flung her arms around Vegeta's neck. Vegeta braced himself and held Bulma firmly. His tail wound around her waist as he set her down. Bulma broke from his grasp and looked at the check again.

"This really is too much though. I mean this is over half a billion zeni."

Vegeta waved her concern away, "You have created the only machine capable of manipulating gravity known. You're undermining yourself. Bulma, you're brilliant so act like it."

Bulma's cheeks flushed as she nodded mutely. Vegeta turned away from the duo to hide the scarlet hue adorning his own cheeks. Instead Vegeta grunted out a parting statement.

"Quit that stupid job. You're a scientist, not a waitress. Don't shy away from your destiny."

Vegeta left the room while Bulma stood wordlessly, taking in the recent events. Trunks tugged on her arm. Bulma looked down at the demi-Saiyan.

"Mom, Prince Vegeta is right. You're amazing and this is your dream! You can do this," her son encouraged, "Besides I'm sure Grandpa is fine selling the machine for that much."

Bulma embraced him and nodded, "Gosh, when did you grow up while I wasn't looking? Ok, let's head home. You and I have some packing to do."

* * *

"Place those boxes over there. I said place, not throw! Those beakers are glass so they're fragile, ya know!" Bulma yelled.

She ignored the groans of the movers as she instructed them to place the items of her new facility with more care. Nappa walked into the sanitized room, watching the blue haired woman toss out orders. He rumbled, stepping forward. He hadn't authorized the penthouse rooms to be used for anything and he doubted Vegeta gave a shit about the pictures and pillows this little human was moving in. Just who was she?

"Hey, girlie! This entire building is for the use of King Vegeta and Prince Vegeta. What are you doing here?"

Bulma turned to the bald Saiyan and cocked her head to the side with her hands on her hips. A worker brought her a map and Bulma pointed to another room.

"I'm going the build a condensed gravity room right there. I want it as far from the bedrooms as possible."

"Girl, I'm talking to you. Don't ignore me. Show me you're authorized to be here!" Nappa snapped.

Bulma lifted her gaze angrily, "Of course I'm authorized, you big oaf. Why would I be here if I wasn't? Now if you want to actually help Vegeta and the king, then help those men lift some of the heavier boxes."

Bulma sauntered away and focused her attention on perfecting the schematics of emerging inventions. Nappa fumed, watching her lean over a kitchen corner and mumble to herself. Black eyes trailed up her taunt legs and settled on the short hem of Bulma's red bodycon dress. Nappa grinned and approached the woman. Bulma tensed when she felt the Saiyan's hot breath on her neck.

"I don't know what you're doing here, but I'm willing to overlook this if you're a little nicer to me. I might even keep quiet to the prince," Nappa whispered, pressing against Bulma's backside.

Bulma stiffened when she felt a calloused hand snake up her thighs to cup her ass. Bulma twisted from Nappa's touch. She reared her hand back and smacked the brute as hard as she could.

"Get away from me!"

"Mom!" Trunks yelled, jumping in front of Bulma.

Bulma looked to see Vegeta and Trunks had returned with their lunch. The sandwiches in Trunks's arms had been all but forgotten as he rushed to his mother's aid. Vegeta set the groceries on the floor. He'd only caught the tail end of the confrontation, but Bulma ceased to amaze him. Though she was small, her slap carried enough power to twist Nappa's neck slightly. Bulma looked at her own trembling hand, red and stinging from the impact. Nappa popped his neck and glared down at the two.

"You stupid bitch! I'll make you and your mutt Saiyan pay," challenged Nappa, raising his fist.

"Nappa," Vegeta growled.

Nappa froze at his superior's tone. Vegeta stalked up to the man with death in his eyes and spat his name like bile on his tongue.

"Nappa, what do you think you're doing?"

Nappa groveled, dropping to his knees, "I'm sorry. I asked who she was and this crazy human attacked me!"

Vegeta's tail uncoiled, bristling. The furry appendage lashed behind Vegeta, mimicking its owner's anger.

"That's not true at all; this slimeball tried to feel me up!" Bulma yelled.

Trunks growled and stepped forward, holding his fists up, "You don't touch my mother. Now I'm angry!"

"Oh can it, mutt!" Nappa retorted.

"Don't call him that!" Bulma yelled, "You're a creep and a bully!"

Vegeta wedged himself in front of the child and patted his head. Trunks looked up at his hero before he tensed. Vegeta was smirking, though not playfully. Trunks remembered this look from the prince's fights and it always spelled trouble for whomever he directed that smirk. Trunks gulped and took his place beside his mom.

"Now, now. That isn't the way to treat our newest colleague," Vegeta tsked, wagging his finger.

Nappa stood reluctantly, "R-right. Prince Vegeta, who is she anyway?"

Vegeta stepped aside to unblock Bulma, "She is the head scientist for Planet Vegeta, Bulma. You have interrupted an important project for myself and the king."

"Scientist? What do we need with her? We're plenty strong without science," Nappa asked, scratching his head.

"We need science to evolve and that means being strong and smart, you imbecile," Vegeta barked.

Nappa snapped his mouth shut. Bulma smirked, folding her arms. His eyes leered to the woman standing before his Prince with that same superior look. The other workers had paused their labor and looked on at the prince and his second in command. Sucking up his pride, Nappa apologized.

"Bulma, was it? Forgive me for my mistake."

"I know I'm a thing of beauty, but please keep your hands to yourself," Bulma said haughtily.

Nappa grinded his teeth and griped, "Some saggy Earthling wasn't worth the trouble."

"Saggy!" Bulma cried and lunged for the Saiyan.

Vegeta caught her by the waist midair. Bulma twisted in his hold and flailed her legs futilely. Trunks held his hands up defensively.

"Calm down Mom! Your hand still looks hurt," Trunks warned.

"I don't care," Bulma struggled, "I'm going to give him another wallop!"

"Such a harpy," Nappa grumbled.

Vegeta set Bulma back on her feet, but held her firmly in place. Bulma stilled, keeping her hellfire disposition in her eyes. Vegeta chuckled, shaking his head at her antics. There was nothing sexier to him than a strong woman and Bulma had never been the type of woman to shy away from confrontation. He bided all the other workers to leave.

"All of you are done for the day. Nappa, wait outside," Vegeta instructed.

Nappa gave a single nod and left after the workers dispersed. Vegeta followed behind and shut the door. Nappa stood in the hallway. His shoulders sagged like a castigated child while Vegeta lorded himself as a man above reproach. Vegeta grabbed his arm. Nappa cringed. He tried feebly to pull away, but Vegeta's hold was iron-clad.

"Your scent is on her," Vegeta stated lowly.

The grip on Nappa's arm tightened. Nappa hissed, but knew better than to try and pull away again. Nappa knelt to one knee under the pain.

"I didn't know who she was," the taller Saiyan gritted.

Vegeta squeezed even tighter until the men heard a pop and crunch. Nappa howled and bit his tongue to quiet himself. His pride wouldn't allow his subordinates to hear him crying. Vegeta released his broken arm with a sneer.

"Your mistake cost you an arm this time. Don't make it again; now head to a regeneration tank."

Nappa quelled his loathing and cradled his arm, "Yes, Prince Vegeta."

"Before you go, apologize to Trunks," Vegeta grunted, walking back to his room.

"Apologize? I never laid a finger on the brat," Nappa complained.

"Apologize for what you called him," Vegeta edged testily.

Vegeta turned back and gave Nappa a final glare before closing the door. Vegeta found Trunks and Bulma unpacking the food the two Saiyans had brought. He motioned to the door just as the trio heard knocking.

"Trunks, it's for you," Vegeta stated sternly.

Trunks exchanged a confused look with his mom, but hopped out his dining room chair and opened the door. The young boy's face twisted into a scowl.

"What do you want Nappa?"

Vegeta walked up to Bulma and held her hand. Discarding his glove, he ran a calloused thumb over the soft flesh of her palm. Slowly Vegeta's ki misted off his body and over hers. The contained power licked at her hand, soothing her tight nerves. Gingerly, he rotated her hand and allowed his ki to heal her.

"Are you alright, Bulma?" Vegeta murmured.

Bulma nodded with a light blush, "I'm fine. I didn't know you had healing powers."

"It takes a lot more energy to heal someone. It isn't very practical in most scenarios and most Saiyans don't bother to learn," Vegeta said, inspecting the hand one more time before dropping it.

His gaze lingered on the woman with the inviting blue eyes and a smile that made his heart skip a beat.

Nappa watched the scene unfold. Vegeta's energy was reminiscent to a bull in a china shop, destructive and chaotic. Never in his life had he seen the prince give a person so much care. With a single shot, Vegeta could decimate planets, yet he used that vicious energy to tend to a single woman's hand.

' _Just what is she to him?'_ Nappa thought.

Trunks turned to see what held the Saiyan's attention. He watched the adults in the kitchen curiously. Vegeta's tail lazed against Bulma's thigh, passive again. Bulma giggled and sent him a wink.

"Aw, and you're exerting all that energy over little old me? You're just a big softie underneath that bad boy exterior, huh?" Bulma teased, elbowing the prince.

Vegeta stalked to the kitchen table, "Just shut up and come eat your sandwich."

' _She's goading him and he's…just taking it?'_ Nappa wondered wide eyed.

"Hey! I want to go eat too so spit it out, jerk," Trunks said.

Nappa focused back on the half-pint in front of him, "I'm-I'm sorry for what I said. Are we good, kid?"

Trunks sized him up. With movement quicker than the eye, Trunks delivered a punch to the jaw that knocked Nappa against the hallway wall. Trunks stood over the man, eyes blazing.

"No, we aren't. I don't care what someone like you calls me, but no one messes with my mom. That punch was for her."

"Trunks," Bulma called, concerned.

She made an attempt to move toward the door, but Vegeta rested his hand on her shoulder. Bulma turned to see the Saiyan Prince smirking.

"It's fine. Trunks can handle himself," Vegeta concluded.

Nappa wiped the blood from is mouth. Even with a broken arm, he was certain he could bury this runt. Nappa's gaze connected with Vegeta's cold eyes. Trunks looked down at Nappa's purplish limp arm.

' _Did I do that? No, I only punched his face. Then, was it-_ ' Trunks turned back to see Vegeta calmly eating while Bulma prattled on about her Capsule Corp. inventions.

"Prince Vegeta did that?" Trunks asked softly, pointing to Nappa's arm.

Nappa stood and blocked the boy's view. He nursed his arm, "Like you give a shit. You're just like him. I did what I was told so move so I can go heal."

* * *

"Here in the new place a day and already causing trouble. You are so stubborn."

Bulma looked over her shoulder to see Vegeta out on the bedroom balcony. She grinned and waved her hand over for him to join her. Vegeta relented, leaning against the safety bannister.

"You said you liked my stubborn nature before," Bulma giggled.

Bulma looped her arm betwixt his and she nuzzled into his side. Vegeta, not one for public displays, regarded her with a side glance, but didn't move away.

"The sky is lovely this time of day, don't you think? I love sunsets. It's so beautiful right before the sky lights up in stars."

"Hn."

"Where is Trunks? He hardly said a word at dinner. He looked so lost in thought."

Vegeta pulled away from Bulma's hold, but slipped his hand around the small of her back to lead her inside. Bulma didn't fight him. Instead she took the lead, pushing Vegeta lightly onto their bed.

"Trunks went to bed," Vegeta answered.

Bulma straddled the Saiyan, "I should have talked to him about Nappa. Bully or not, I don't like him being violent."

Vegeta flipped Bulma on her back. He pulled off her shoes before kicking off his own boots. His gloved hands ran up Bulma's thighs and she inched her dress up. Vegeta threw off his armor, then his battle suit until he was clad only in his boxers.

"You worry too much. The real person who needs a talking to is Nappa," Vegeta uttered.

"And I assume you'll do that talking with your fists?" Bulma mused.

Vegeta kissed her cheek and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You get a little violent too, you know. I like it."

Vegeta grinned and Bulma gave his chest a playful shove. Vegeta rolled on his side, spooning the pretty Earthling.

"Only when I have to defend myself," Bulma said back.

Bulma smushed her cheek against Vegeta's chest. Vegeta tamed the short blue hair splayed out like feathers, twirling her locs contemplatively.

"Nappa is a problem though," Vegeta stated, "I'll deal with him fully tomorrow."

Bulma yawned, snuggling into the warm mass of her lover, "Just don't be too mean, ok?"

Vegeta smirked in the dark room, "No promises."

**I hope everyone is staying safe and sane. I made a shorter chapter by cutting my original in half. I had more ideas I wanted to tease out and didn't want to mess up my pacing. Next chapter will have a lot. Bulma will finally decline Yamcha and Vegeta will meet Bulma's parents and Yamcha. Next chapter will also address how Trunks feels about their relationship and maybe include a flashback. If there is something you want answered or added, let me know. Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! Depending on the length and how the next chapter flows, Vegeta will learn Trunks is his son either in two or three chapters from now. I have it written out, but I keep adding stuff. I hope you enjoy and thank you so much for the reviews. It keeps me motivated and I shift my story based on feedback and valid critiques. Now on with the story!**

**Love In Season**

**Ch.13**

“Nappa, look out for them. You will protect the woman and her child at all costs. If something happens to them, you’d better be dead or I will kill you myself,” Vegeta announced, shifting his gaze to the bald Saiyan.

Nappa stifled a growl in his throat. Sweat came off him in droves from the prince’s threat, but still he needed to object. This was cruel, even for Vegeta.

“Prince Vegeta, please. I’m much more helpful on the frontlines, not as some bodyguard,” Nappa pled.

Vegeta folded his arms with a frown, “Stop complaining. Bulma’s inventions will aid Planet Vegeta and myself far more than the scraps of those desolate planets you purge so it’s quite a compliment that I’ve given you this responsibility.”

Bulma poked her head out of the kitchen, holding a pastry in her mouth as she brought out a stack of papers. Nappa clammed up, watching the woman suspiciously. Bulma set the papers down to take a bite of her pastry.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I’ve been working on some drones for the gravity machine. My dad also had some concepts for robots to help you train. Take a look.”

Vegeta glanced over the work, “That’s fine. I was just letting Nappa know of his new duties.”

“I mean a bodyguard though? Do you really think it’s necessary?” Bulma wondered.

_‘She already knows? How could Vegeta share that information with her first instead of me?’_

“Surely you’ve noticed the paparazzi’s prying eyes more since you began to settle in; I am taking no chances,” Vegeta stated, “Besides if the thought of a bodyguard disturbs you, think of Nappa as Trunks’s babysitter.”

The bluenette’s eyes lit up, oblivious to the older Saiyan’s cringe, “Oh great! Nappa, would you mind getting Trunks from school? I asked him to pick up a few items and I don’t want him getting lost. The move is still pretty new.”

Nappa seethed, but nodded mutely. Vegeta turned his full attention to the woman beside him. Closing the space between them, he pointed to the drawings of Bulma’s drones. He explained the functions he wanted most while Bulma dictated. Nappa watched the pair. The scene was innocent enough, but Nappa couldn’t shake how comfortable the prince seemed with the Earthling and how cozy she was getting to the warrior. Vegeta’s tail unwound, flicking playfully behind him. Nappa zeroed in on the oddity. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he neglected to hear his prince’s words.

Vegeta’s eyes cut darkly to his subordinate, “You needed something, Nappa? Why aren’t you getting that new shipment of scouters I requested?”

“No, Prince Vegeta. I was just-”

Vegeta cut him off, “Then do as I say and take your leave.”

The prince flared out his aura at the Saiyan; the curl of his lip over his canines were clear instructions to go away. Nappa shuffled out the door, imparting one last look on the duo. Vegeta looked back at Bulma and smirked.

“You’re making a mess,” he noted, brushing the pastry flakes from her cheeks.

Bulma’s face flushed momentarily before turning away, “Well I’d have time to sit down and eat if you weren’t so pushy about finishing these upgrades.”

“You love it,” Vegeta chuckled and nipped Bulma’s nose, “It must certainly be better than your time at the diner.”

She hated that she couldn’t fight against the arrogance in Vegeta’s tone; he was right. Sure, Vegeta pushed her to create new inventions at warp speed, but the pressure she put on herself was even greater. The work was grueling, but she savored every late night. She loved it all. Her laugh was mellifluous to his ears.

“That may be true, but you don’t have to sound so haughty saying it,” Bulma fired back, “Really, have you always been so full of yourself?”

Bulma continued to add details to her drawings while Vegeta watched over her shoulder. He was quiet in a way that unnerved her. Vegeta was never much of a talker, but the scientist figured he would have at least left by now to go train or said something. Bulma looked up and touched Vegeta’s forehead with the back of her hand. The far-away look he had been sporting dispersed and he regarded her with a solemn contemplative expression.

“You’re worrying me. What’s wrong?” Bulma inquired.

“I wanted to give you time, but I need to know,” Vegeta began.

Bulma could feel the dread setting in and she gathered her items. Bulma took the papers to her room. Vegeta followed her and shut the door of the woman’s bedroom. Bulma looked around absently. It wasn’t like she actually slept in the room, but she needed to add a more homey feel when she got the chance. She had insisted on a space with three bedrooms so Trunks wouldn’t know they were sleeping together. The room, in reality, served more as a backup office with a bed, but it was nice to make some use of it. Now Bulma found herself bouncing on said bed and waiting for the somber Vegeta to speak.

“Who is Trunks’s father? I can’t shake this familiar feeling. I know I never met the boy before a month ago, but something about him reminds me of someone I know,” Vegeta uttered, half to himself.

“Why are you bringing this up now?” Bulma asked, avoiding eye contact.

“Like I said before, Trunks deserves to learn of his heritage. I may be able to locate his father if you don’t know where he is,” Vegeta offered, “What’s his name?”

Catching his eye, Bulma’s mind blanked and she panicked. She had always kept the information of Trunks’s parentage to herself. She always doled out vague, non-incriminating statements. He was a Saiyan, though that much was obvious. They had met in space and during the war. She had returned to Earth and found out shortly after that she was pregnant. Knowing the scars of battle, most came to their own conclusions. Perhaps she was a slave or prostitute. Perhaps she’d had a one-night stand. Perhaps the father of her child had perished in battle. Being Saiyan, perhaps he’d simply left her to raise their son alone. There was plausibility in all the scenarios and in some there was even truth. Bulma allowed those people to think what they would, often meeting their sympathetic smiles with a placating expression of her own. No one had pushed the subject of her year in space except Chi Chi. She alone knew the shame and fear that lumped in Bulma’s throat when she described the night she left. Vegeta cleared his throat softly, but with a pungent authority that said he would not be ignored. Bulma broke her own inner trance and stammered to think of what to say. She remembered that most, if not all Saiyans were named after vegetables and spouted the first name she thought of feebly.

“Turnip!”

Vegeta incredulously repeated the name, “Trunks’s father was named Turnip?”

Bulma nodded wordlessly, sparing another glance at her lover. His dark eyes were brooding. While his gaze normally excited her, now she felt exposed. Idly Bulma wondered if Vegeta could smell a lie with that strong alien nose of his. She turned her head away, cursing herself for being so cowardly, guarded about all the wrong things. Vegeta unslinked his tail from his waist. The furry appendage sought shelter around her form, settling partly on her lap. Vegeta’s hand found the small of her back, rubbing small circles. She met his eyes again, this time quizzically. Vegeta nodded toward her hands and Bulma realized they were shaking. Now that she noticed, her entire body was trembling. Slowly, the Saiyan’s eyes softened.

“I know Turnip or should I say I knew him. He died in battle five years back,” Vegeta said with care.

“Oh,” Bulma breathed simply, consciously working to get her voice even.

Internally, she screamed. Why did she lie like that? Now she had to mourn the loss of a man she never met. Vegeta was no longer looking at her. His gaze was locked on his boots instead. His tail gripped her tighter though it wasn’t painful.

“Turnip was a bastard, even by Saiyan standards,” Vegeta answered as a dry joke, “Trunks is lucky to have never been influenced by him. Lucky he didn’t get his ugly mug either.”

“I really didn’t know Turnip,” Bulma commented softly.

Vegeta didn’t take that information literally, assuming she had been another victim to the man’s perversions during the war. He wanted to say more, but he refrained. He knew that Bulma seemed to remain tight-lipped about her capture, especially to Trunks. She’d been adamant about keeping their previous relationship a secret, which was fine with him. Vegeta disliked many things and at the top of the list was answering questions and opening up. Secrets held power and after experiencing the galaxy’s lawless nature, Vegeta knew all too well why Bulma would covet such power.

“In some ways, you’re not at all the woman from eight years ago,” Vegeta murmured, “Before you seemed…naïve.”

Bulma didn’t answer for a moment, but settled her nerves, “We both know how cruel space can be; we do whatever it takes to survive. I’m just glad we did survive. What’s important now is getting your inventions ready for the king and Planet Vegeta.”

Vegeta seemed to accept Bulma’s cryptic response, noting how she shifted away from the topic. He ran his fingers through her hair and Bulma couldn’t help snuggling into his side to rest against his shoulder. The two enjoyed one another’s silence and the warmth of their bodies molding into one.

“I’ll need to leave soon, but I’ll be back late tonight. If you need something, use the scouter in my room to contact me,” Vegeta stated.

“Oh alright. Did you want me to save you dinner?” Bulma asked with a pout.

Vegeta shook his head with a smirk, “Give Trunks my share. We’re ramping up his training so he’ll need the extra energy.”

* * *

Raditz flew away from his brother’s humble three bedroom home in search of some food. He took down a small dinosaur and plowed his fist into its chest. Raditz gripped the still beating heart and took a bite.

“Hey! Don’t ignore me, Raditz. I feel like I’m going crazy over here,” Nappa yelled on the line.

Raditz rumbled out a growl, “Do you know how rare it is for me to eat dino meat? Apparently Kakarot’s son, Gohan, was friends with one and now Kakarot and Chi Chi don’t want to cook ANY dinosaur. This shit is a treat so let me enjoy my meal.”

“Did you hear what I said? Vegeta’s gone too far. He’s got me on babysitting duty for the kid and his mother. What’s going on between them? I at least understand him taking a shine to the half Saiyan, but his mom too?” Nappa practically wailed to Raditz over his scouter.

The large Saiyan craned his neck around the corner of a brick building, looking out for Trunks. None of the students were exiting the school yet. He checked his watch and scowled.

“This damn kid needs to hurry up!”

Raditz chuckled on the other line, “It’s only 12pm. Goten usually doesn’t get home until 3:30pm so how about you grab some food and stop looking like a predator outside their school.”

“I have to wait another three hours!” Nappa yelled, “What are they even learning that takes that long?”

“How should I know?” Raditz barked back, “Now did you have something important or you just wanted to gossip?”

Nappa grit his teeth and gripped a nearby stop sign to control his anger. The metal frame failed and twisted under his exposure. Between Vegeta belittling him and Raditz teasing him, Nappa wanted to kill someone. He quelled his rage slightly, enough to bite out the issue at hand.

“He leaves his tail unwrapped around her!” Nappa hissed, “Vegeta’s never even done that with a Saiyan woman so why her? How can he trust that human?”

“You want my opinion? Vegeta may be courting her.” The line went eerily quiet, so much so that Raditz had to confirm that Nappa was still there.

Nappa spat out a laugh, “That has to be a lie. Did he say something like that to you?”

“I tried to talk to him about a woman once and he punched me in the gut. I’m staying out of it,” Raditz concluded in between bites.

Nappa took to the sky, exhaling deeply before he grunted, “So this woman. What do you know about her? Vegeta never even told me he was moving people in or switching rooms.”

Raditz tore away another chunk of meat and thought carefully, “Only what Kakarot told me. Her name is Bulma and she’s known Kakarot and his wife since they were young. Apparently, her family used to invent a lot of shit before the war. Frieza even tried to get them to invent some stuff for him. They tried to fight back and Frieza ended up taking Bulma. Honestly, I don’t know how her folks even survived. Frieza wasn’t too keen on leaving survivors.”

“So she was just some slave. She has some attitude for someone who was property. You should have seen the little bitch looking down at me. Then today she acted like I didn’t even exist. She thinks she can get away with anything just because Vegeta has some use for her,” Nappa grumbled.

“Listen, if Vegeta likes her, drop it. Don’t forget she’s Kakarot’s friend too. You don’t want those two pissed at you,” the other Saiyan warned. With that final word, Raditz ended the call.

* * *

“Wow, that’s a lot of food,” Goten exclaimed.

The young boy plopped his lunch box beside Trunks. His eyes turned glassy as he surveyed curry and katsu with loads of rice balls and barbecue his friend had packed.

“Yeah, now that my mom is working for Prince Vegeta, I can get stuff like this all the time! Plus, he lets me make my own lunch so I get as much as I want now. Here, try some,” Trunks said, pushing a plate toward his friend.

“I can’t believe Prince Vegeta let you stay at his house. That was really nice of him!” Goten said, chomping into his lunch.

Trunks sighed, “Pretty cool, right? Yeah, he’s not really mean to me, but he can still be pretty scary sometimes. He broke Nappa’s arm!”

Goten’s eyes widened, “Why did he do that? I thought he and Nappa were friends.”

Trunks chewed his rice contemplatively and shook his head, “They don’t really act like friends and Prince Vegeta said he doesn’t have any friends. I think he broke Nappa’s arm because of me and Mom. Nappa was messing with my mom and called me some names. Prince Vegeta made him leave and when he came back, his arm was broken and Nappa had to apologize to me too.”

The bell rang, signaling that lunch was over. Goten looked down at Trunks’s plate. He hadn’t eaten all his food and his friend’s face was twisted in dread.

“What’s wrong, Trunks? I mean, isn’t it good that Prince Vegeta stood up for you two?”

Trunks scarfed down his katsu and recapsuled the rest of his food before he started walking back to class, “Yeah, but it was just kind of harsh I guess. I just wonder if I’ll have to be like that when I go to Planet Vegeta. Nappa said I was just like Prince Vegeta. I-I want to be like him, but…”

Goten patted his back with a smile, “You’re worrying too much. You don’t have to do everything like him. If you don’t want to be mean, then don’t.”

“Yeah, yeah I know that,” Trunks answered deflated, “I just want to be respected as a Saiyan, even though I’m half human. I don’t want anyone to think I’m different and if I don’t act like that, things could be worse for me.”

Goten shrugged, “Different isn’t bad. Uncle Raditz says Dad doesn’t act like a lot of Saiyans, but he’s really respected still. Why don’t you come over and ask Uncle Raditz about Planet Vegeta so you’ll know what to expect?”

The lavender-haired boy gave a tentative smile and nodded, “Okay, yeah! We can even train after and I’ll show you how much stronger I’ve gotten.”

* * *

Bulma twisted the screws that fastened the drone’s legs in place. She pressed a small button located on her invention’s base and watched it scurry across the floor.

“Alright! Those legs look pretty sturdy. I just need to increase their speed and then it’s on to the lasers!” Bulma rejoiced with a giddy laugh.

“Wow, this place is swanky,” Yamcha commented with a whistle.

Bulma jumped out of her chair and looked up. One of the Saiyan guards stood at the front door of her lab, partly obscuring Yamcha from her view.

“Miss Briefs, this gentleman said he had a meeting with you. He was not on any approved list and you did not pick up the phone,” the Saiyan explained.

Bulma wiped the grime and dirt of her hands on her lab coat and patted her hair back in place. She looked at the phone in the corner, “I didn’t even hear it ring.”

Bulma walked over to the phone, only to realize it hadn’t been plugged in. With a groan she shoved the cord in its rightful socket. The phone lit up, showing the missed calls and messages.

“Great, another thing to do,” Bulma muttered to herself before turning back to the two men in her lab, “Um, thanks. I know Yamcha. Thank you for bringing him to me.”

The guard gave a single nod. He eyed Yamcha scrupulously, but a smile from Bulma convinced him to leave. Yamcha released a nervous laugh and hopped on Bulma’s table, crumbling some of her writings.

“These Saiyans really are uptight, huh?”

Bulma shoved him off her paperwork, “What are you doing here? Get off my work.”

Yamcha stood and scratched his head with a sheepish grin, “Sorry about that. I wanted to tell you congratulations in person for the new job. I stopped by your place, but you weren’t home. Chi Chi said you were mostly here now.”

The scientist rubbed the creases away in her forehead. The day was proving to be draining and it was barely past lunch.

“Yeah, I told you that already. I’m basically serving as a live-in scientist for Prince Vegeta. It’s taking some adjusting to, but Trunks seems to like it at least.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Yamcha said, rolling his eyes.

Bulma frowned, “What was that?”

Yamcha held his hands up in defense, “Nothing! Nothing, I’m glad he likes spending time with these guys. I’m not really convinced it’s all that safe for you is all. How about you show me around though?”

Bulma led Yamcha through the rooms she had access, showing off Vegeta’s training room and a few conference rooms before heading up to the penthouse. Even Yamcha had to admit he was impressed seeing Vegeta’s home. It wasn’t at all what he expected from a man known for conquering worlds. Yamcha expected something primitive like pelts and animal rugs or ornate furnishings to show his princely title. Instead he found crisp, minimalist décor in white and gray with accents of navy.

“Who knew Saiyans even cared about fashion? This place actually looks really nice,” Yamcha commented in awe, “I guess I kind of thought it would look gaudy or like a caveman designed it.”

Bulma didn’t answer, partially lost in her own thoughts of how to break the news to Yamcha. He hadn’t said anything yet, but she noticed him eyeing the bare spot on her hand where her engagement ring would be. She had been putting off the news long enough and the guilt of her infidelity gnawed at her insides.

Yamcha stopped walking in the center of the living room, noting each room Bulma had taken him. He voiced a question, not bothering to hide his chary, “Where do you sleep? I’m sure you’re not rooming with Trunks.”

“In my bedroom,” Bulma snipped, picking up on his insinuation.

Sure she was sleeping with Vegeta, but before him Bulma had been nothing but faithful. Yamcha certainly had no place to judge, given his track record. To reiterate her point, Bulma led him to a spare bedroom. Yamcha looked around at the room. It was sterile, immaculate and free from clutter in the same white and grey decor. It was nothing like Bulma. Yamcha rolled a beaker between his fingers and set it back on the tabletop. Bulma grabbed the beaker from his hands and set it back in place. Yamcha chuckled.

“I’m not going to break anything. These Saiyans are rubbing off on you. You’re going to be just as wound up as they are. By the way, what’s with the outfit? You getting fashion advice from the Prince too?” Yamcha asked.

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” Bulma fired back, looking down at her lab coat, “Did you expect me to conduct my experiments in heels?”

“You look more like you’re going to go to space than on a date with me. Did you forget we were going to Triton’s hall of fame banquet today?”

Bulma groaned and raked her fingers through her hair. She shook her head and gave Yamcha a sympathetic smile, losing some of her anger, “I’m sorry, I totally forgot about the banquet. I can’t, Yamcha. I need to get at least thirty of these drones built. Plus, I’m working on a prototype for a more durable battle suit for Vegeta.”

“You’ve been putting me off for weeks. I thought you were taking time to get adjusted, but it doesn’t even look like you’re moved in,” Yamcha commented before adding sourly, “I’ve never heard of a live-in scientist either. I think you’re biting off more than you can chew.”

Bulma fixed her hands on her hips, “Well I haven’t moved really. I only brought the essentials and kept my home just in case. Can’t you be happy about this new position? I’ve wanted something like this for so long.”

Yamcha propped himself against Bulma’s desk. He bore a somber expression usually absent when he spoke to her. Yamcha opened his mouth and closed it, contemplating if he should voice what was on his mind. Bulma waited impatiently, tapping her foot.

“Just say it and stop beating around the bush!”

The man sighed, “Just don’t be stupid. Vegeta is the hero of this oh so great Saiyan race and a prince on top of that. I bet he’s reeking with entitlement and he’s not a guy used to the answer no. You’ve always liked walking around in your tight dresses and tops and mouthing off. Just don’t give the guy any ideas or excuses to do something.”

Bulma gasped, biting out, “Excuse me? Wait, are you trying to imply that if anything happened it would be my fault? You better watch your next words very carefully.”

“I’m not saying you’d be asking for it,” Yamcha clarified, rubbing his temples, “These Saiyans are like animals compared to us. They don’t have the same morals so you have to be extra careful around them to not set them off. You’re taking it the wrong way. You’re about to be my wife. I’m just trying to give you some sound advice. If something happened, I don’t know what I could do.”

Bulma flinched at the word wife. She couldn’t do this. Maybe her fantasy life with Vegeta was destined to go up in flames, but that didn’t mean she had to settle. Not anymore. She had a better job, her family was pulling Capsule Corp. from the brink of collapse, and she couldn’t shy away from her second lease at life. Bulma pulled Yamcha into a hug. Despite his faults, he had been there when Bulma needed him and she was grateful for their friendship. Bulma broke away from the embrace with a watery smile. She pulled out her ring from the drawer and handed it back.

“Yamcha, I’ve given this a lot of thought. I don’t want to string you along. I just can’t marry you,” She couldn’t lie to another person; it was exhausting.

“Bulma, I can see exactly what’s happening,” Yamcha said solemnly.

Her face blanched, “You can?”

Yamcha patted her shoulder, “Of course, I knew it would happen. All this change must be overwhelming. You quit your job and moved away with your kid. Now you’re working for the Saiyans and that has to be stressful. It’s not like they’re known for being easy going, except for Goku. Now you feel like if you marry me, it would just be too much.”

Bulma’s expression hardened, “Yamcha-”

Yamcha stopped her, pushing back the ring, “It’s a lot, I get it, but we’ll get through this. I know! Next week, let’s have dinner with your parents over at your place. It’ll be great. You’ll see how well I fit in with your family in this new role and realize you were overreacting before.”

Yamcha checked his phone, “Sorry babe. Work is calling, but let’s get a date for next week though.”

Before Bulma could spout out an answer, Yamcha delivered a kiss on her cheek and rushed for the door.

Before he exited, Yamcha added lightheartedly, “Great and babe? Wear something nice, ok? It would kind of kill the mood if you showed up in what you have on.”

“Yeah, sure,” Bulma said weakly before reaching for the phone.

She checked her watch as the phone trilled. Trunks should be home shortly. Needing to busy herself, Bulma took her call in the kitchen and began to boil a pot of water. The phone clicked.

“Hello?”

“Hey Chi Chi, got a minute?” Bulma asked.

“I was just about to call you. Trunks and Goten just got in. I wanted to know if Trunks was staying for dinner.”

“What? Nappa was supposed to pick Trunks up. I guess Trunks didn’t check his messages. No, let him know that Nappa is getting him and I’m making spaghetti for dinner.”

Bulma could hear Chi Chi relaying the message to Trunks and she took the time to write a quick message to Nappa from one of Vegeta’s scouters. The scouter chimed and Nappa replied back, “OK.”

No honorific or nicety, just OK. Bulma glared at the response, but sighed. It wasn’t really Nappa she was mad at; she was frustrated with herself. Chi Chi spoke to her again.

“Hey, I’m out of ear shot of everyone. The kids are playing with Raditz and Goku is watching dinner.”

“You’re counting on Goku to not eat everyone’s dinner?” Bulma laughed.

“Not even a little! I’ve given him strict instructions to only stir, but we both know his stomach will get the better of him so I only have a short window,” Chi Chi explained, relieved to hear the heaviness leave her friend’s voice.

Bulma started with the lighter of the two topics, “So I tried to call it off with Yamcha. Tried being the operative word.”

“He didn’t take no for an answer?” Chi Chi joked.

“He didn’t even acknowledge I said no!” Bulma complained, “Now we have a dinner date with my parents set for next week.”

“Ooh I take it Vegeta doesn’t know about Yamcha?”

Bulma poured some noodles in the boiling water and started browning her meat for the sauce. She considered making the sauce from scratch, but decided on canned sauce. She still had robots to build for the gravity chamber.

“Vegeta kind of knows of him. He knows I’m dating another guy or I was. Maybe I still am. I just don’t know anymore! It all feels so complicated.”

“It sounds like it,” Chi Chi agreed, “Why didn’t you set him straight? It’s not like Bulma Briefs to shy away.”

Bulma turned down the burner to her sauce, letting it simmer. She raked her fingers through her hair and sighed.

“Today has been a bit of a whirlwind. Vegeta asked me about Trunks’s father.”

“Oh you finally told him; that has to take some stress off you,” Chi Chi exclaimed.

Goku poked his head in the room, puzzled. He hastily brushed off the grains of rice from his cheek, but Chi Chi didn’t notice. She smiled and shooed him back to the kitchen.

Bulma groaned, “No I panicked and just said a name and now I don’t know what to do. I hate lying to him. It really would have been the perfect time to let him know and I blew it.”

“You can’t put this off, especially with your current predicament,” Chi Chi surmised quietly, “Do you want us to keep Trunks tonight? That would give you time to talk to Vegeta.”

“No, Vegeta left earlier and said he wouldn’t be back until late. I promise I will tell him the truth though. I just need to make sure things are a little more stable. I’ll handle the smaller things for now like breaking up with Yamcha,” Bulma confided, feeling her confidence return a little.

A crash was heard in the kitchen. Bulma heard Chi Chi break away from the phone and shout Goku’s name. The sound was a little muffled but the scientist could hear the woman chastising her friend for making some sort of mess.

Chi Chi groaned returning to the phone, “I never get a moment’s rest around here. I’ll call you back tomorrow, but I’ll make sure Trunks gets home safely.”

* * *

Goku jogged outside to where Raditz and the boys were. Goten had just landed a kick in Trunks’s side, but Trunks had blocked, sending a ki blast to create some distance. Goten was knocked back and rolled in the grass. The small Saiyan sat up with a smile.

“Wow, Trunks you have gotten stronger! I’m gonna train even harder so I can beat you.”

Trunks walked over to his friend and helped him up, “Beat me? Sorry Goten, but I’m just getting started. It’ll take a lot more than training to beat me now.”

Raditz was lazing against the base of a tree, watching the boys spar. Goku walked over to his brother.

“The boys are getting pretty good, huh Raditz?”

“They’re alright, but that Trunks boy is a cocky one. You can tell Vegeta’s rubbing off on him,” Raditz answered.

Goku laughed, “Yeah that definitely sounded like something Vegeta would say, but Trunks seems to be learning well under him. His movements and reactions are cleaner, more honed.”

Raditz grunted in the affirmative and took a chomp into a dinosaur drumstick he’d kept from lunch, grinning. Goku frowned, turning his gaze to the meat chunk in Raditz’s hands, “Raditz, what are you eating? That better not be Icarus you’re chomping on.”

Goku leaned in to sniff the meat before Raditz shoved him away lightly, “Well it’s not like I asked the damn thing’s name beforehand. It didn’t fly though so it wasn’t that Icarus you talk about.”

Accepting the answer as a no, Goku leaned away satisfied. The jovial Saiyan scratched the back of his head with a nervous laugh, “Well, the food’s almost done, but I may have made a teeny tiny mess. Man, Chi Chi was ticked and when she’s mad, don’t get in her way!”

Goten ran up to his father with Trunks lingering behind. Goku ruffled his son’s hair offering a bright smile.

“Dad, did you see our fight? Trunks won this time, but I’ll get him next time!”

“I did see and I’m sure you will! You kids are both so strong. I don’t think any Saiyan has been as strong as you guys at your age,” Goku encouraged.

“Really? Not even the prince?” Trunks asked in awe.

“Well, even Vegeta couldn’t turn Super Saiyan at your age so yeah. Just don’t tell him I said that,” Goku whispered at the end.

They shared a laugh when Chi Chi called them back in for dinner. Goku perked up and waved goodbye to Trunks, darting back inside. A silence loomed over the three. Goten nudged Trunks toward Raditz, beckoning him to ask his advice. The older Saiyan levitated, stretching his stiff muscles. He tossed his meat aside. Raditz dropped to the ground and peered at the two small Saiyans. Trunks’s lips were posed in a question, but the seconds ticked by and he remained silent. Raditz propped his leg up and leaned against the tree, arms folded.

He scowled, “What is it, kid? Are you just gonna stare at me?”

Trunks jumped slightly at his gruff tone. He hoped Raditz hadn’t noticed. Chi Chi called again. Goten stood looking between the door and his friend when his stomach growled.

Trunks chuckled, “It’s fine; go eat. Nappa should be here for me pretty soon anyway.”

Relieved to eat, Goten nodded, flashing the boy a smile, “Ok, I’ll come back and check on you!”

Goten left. Raditz glared down at the boy, waiting for a response. Trunks scuffed his foot in the dirt, avoiding the man’s scrutiny, “I kinda wanted to know more about Planet Vegeta.”

Trunks spoke so quietly, even Raditz struggled to make out his words. The Saiyan laughed, “That’s all? Why don’t you just ask the prince? I’m assuming he said you could come with him. What, you scared?”

Trunks’s face reddened slightly, “I’m not scared!”

His voice lowered to a grumble again, “It’s just…everyone from Planet Vegeta seems…violent.”

Raditz laughed again, “Of course, brat. We fight, we kill, we take what we want, we destroy. It’s all part of being a Saiyan, well a good one anyway.”

Raditz had been grinning, but his smile ebbed away watching Trunks. The air stilled. The young half-Saiyan grit his teeth and balled his fists, shaking slightly. Raditz could feel his energy electrifying the air and growing with each second.

“Woah, Trunks. Calm down,” Raditz warned.

“That’s so stupid! You guys are already the strongest so why do you have to bully everyone else?”

Raditz lowered himself back to the base of the tree with a huff and motioned for Trunks to sit next to him, “Alright, out with it. What’s got you so riled up because I know it ain’t about what I said. You already knew that stuff.”

Trunks sat next to the warrior with a pout before he finally answered, “It’s Nappa…and Prince Vegeta. Mom slapped Nappa for grabbing her and Nappa was going to hit her before Prince Vegeta stepped in and stopped him. Nappa called my mom and me some names too so Prince Vegeta made him leave and when Nappa came back, he apologized to me. I was mad and I punched him for hurting my mom. That’s when I saw Prince Vegeta had already broken his arm.”

Raditz scratched his head in confusion. It sounded like a normal spar. He couldn’t understand what had the half-Saiyan so upset.

“What? You feel guilty for punching him now?”

“I don’t know, a little I guess. I wanted to teach him a lesson, but I never thought Prince Vegeta would break his arm and I guess I feel bad. He didn’t even fight back.”

“Nappa tried to go after your mother. Don’t feel bad, kid. That jackass had it coming,” Raditz concluded.

His statement failed to elicit an agreement from Trunks. Instead Trunks had a fixed glare at the ground, sulking silently. Raditz shook his head and stood to head inside. Trunks grabbed his hand and met his expression with a determined one of his own.

“I want to be strong and tough like Prince Vegeta, but I don’t want to hurt people just because I can. I like fighting, but I don’t want to bully other people. That’s how I feel and I’m nervous it’ll make me a target. Please tell what I can do-”

“You’ll stand out anyway,” Raditz said abruptly, “Man, you sound just like Kakarot. I guess this thinking is an Earthling thing. Listen, you’re a half-Saiyan so you’re going to have to prove yourself. There’s no getting around that. Hell, there was a time that the king ordered runts like you and Goten to be executed and a lot of Saiyans still believe in that. So if you’re looking for an easy way out of things, too bad. Don’t worry though. Prince Vegeta knows all this. He’ll protect you.”

The demi-Saiyan mulled over Raditz’s words. He chewed his lip, deep in thought. Goten emerged from the house, rubbing his stomach.

“You better get dinner Uncle Raditz or Dad is gonna eat it all!”

Raditz growled, “His stomach is a damn bottomless pit. Kid, bug Vegeta about this shit, okay?”

“That’s just it though. I don’t want to bother anyone,” Trunks retorted, “I want to be able to protect myself. I don’t want to rely on him. The whole reason I approached Prince Vegeta was to get stronger for my family.”

“Vegeta knows all that. Trust me. If he thought you were relying on him and not pulling your weight, you would know. He’s not one to hold back, ever.”

Slowly Trunks smiled and he chuckled, “That’s true. Last week I tried to train with lighter weights and he made me perform an hour of katas at 20 times Earth’s gravity.”

Raditz whistled impressed with the boy’s strength, “Listen, you may think he’s being hard on you, but he’s even harder on anyone that tries to mess with you. That’s why he did what he did to Nappa. Planet Vegeta may seem different from Earth, but we both have rules and structure. There are consequences for breaking those rules. Nappa learned the hard way. Personally, I think you’re overthinking this shit, but if this bothers you so much, ask Vegeta for yourself. Maybe you’ll understand what we do more.”

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right!” Trunks gasped in relief, “Thank you!”

Trunks hugged him to Raditz’s dismay. The long haired Saiyan shoved the boy back. His face burned red and grew even darker when he heard Goten laughing behind him.

“No, No!” Raditz yelled, flailing his hands and stumbling back, “I deal with that enough with this brat.”

Raditz motioned to Goten with a slight grimace. Goten just laughed harder, “Yeah, Uncle Raditz doesn’t like hugs much.”

Raditz’s scouter alerted a presence and he looked to the sky. His comrade landed and acknowledged him with a grunt. Raditz returned a half wave.

“Let’s go, kid. I’ve been waiting all damn day to get you,” grumbled Nappa.

Trunks gave another smile to Raditz and tugged on his backpack. He waved to Goten as he levitated in the air. Nappa sneered at the friendly display, but kept silent. The two powered up and shot in the sky toward Vegeta’s home.

Raditz watched them leave and exhaled, “I swear, for the shit I put up with, I better get a raise.”

* * *

“Mom, I’m back!” Trunks announced, dropping his backpack at the door.

Bulma called him from the kitchen, “Trunks, it’s already past seven! Why are you getting home so late?”

Trunks jogged into the kitchen and offered his mom a sheepish grin, “I didn’t notice the time I guess, but I did finish all my homework!”

Trunks sat at the dining room table and pulled out his finished assignments for her to see. Bulma sighed and ruffled his hair before placing a large bowl of spaghetti in front of him. Trunks thanked her and shoved in a mouthful of pasta.

“At least you’re safe, but check in next time or you’re in big trouble.”

Nappa shuffled into the kitchen. Bulma glanced his way and gave the man a tentative smile. Nappa didn’t smile back. Bulma huffed and turned her attention back to Trunks. Her son didn’t notice any tension and happily munched on his noodles. He looked to be adjusting so well to all the changes in a short period of time. Bulma brought Trunks in for a hug.

Trunks returned the hug, sparing an embarrassed glance at Nappa, “Uh, what’s up, Mom?”

Bulma kissed his forehead, “It’s nothing really. I’m just really proud of you. Oh! Let me show you what I made today. I’ll be right back.”

Bulma beamed before running into another room. Nappa scrutinized the refrigerator while Trunks ate in silence. It was no longer bare, but adorned in papers. One paper looked to be one of Trunks’s math tests stamped with an A and a happy face. A few more tests littered the fridge as well as a drawing depicting Bulma, Trunks and Vegeta on a picnic with Kakarot and his family. Nappa wanted to hurl.

“Vegeta, what are they doing to you?” he muttered.

Trunks looked over at the stoic man, “Did you say something?”

Nappa turned away from the fridge, “No.”

Bulma returned holding out a drone in pride. Trunks wiped his mouth and tilted his head. His brow furrowed has he rotated the invention in his hands.

“Pretty cool I guess, but what is it?”

Bulma laughed, “It’s a drone I built. I’ve programmed it with timed attacks and lasers for defense. I thought it would be good training and extra security too.”

“Could I use it to train now?” Trunks asked.

Bulma set the drone down and shook her head, “Not yet hun. I want to run a few more tests so you’ll have to train the old-fashioned way.”

“Hey Nappa!” Trunks exclaimed, jumping from his seat, “Do you want to train with me?”

Nappa could hardly keep his rage quelled and Bulma frowned. It seemed like an innocent enough question, but something had triggered the man.

“Trunks, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m sure Nappa is tired anyway,” Bulma conciliated.

“Tired? Do you think I’m too weak to be a challenge for your brat? I’m ready anywhere at any time!” Nappa struck the countertop for extra effect.

Trunks smirked, “Perfect! I don’t want to miss even a day of rigorous training. Besides, even if I get hurt or Nappa does, we have the regeneration tanks.”

“You hurt me? Cocky brat, aren’t you?”

Bulma placed her hands on her hips and glared at Nappa, “Listen here. I don’t want my son injured. Vegeta’s already warned you against putting your hands on other people. I have him on speed dial and I’m not afraid to call.”

Nappa’s jaw locked up and his eyes burned in hatred toward the woman, but Bulma could see him acquiesce. Without another word, he nodded. Trunks cheered and raced to his room to put on his Saiyan armor. Bulma smirked at her win and called Trunks out of his room. The boy poked his head out, partially fitted in his armor.

“Don’t overdo it. Take some medicine if you need it, alright? Okay, I’m beat. Don’t stay up too late, Trunks,” Bulma yawned out.

She kissed Trunks on the forehead again and made her way to Vegeta’s room.

“Mom, wait. That’s Prince’s Vegeta’s room. You’re going to the wrong bedroom,” Trunks reminded her.

Bulma straightened up with a guilty grin, “Oh you’re right; silly me! I’ll just head to my room now.”

Nappa’s eyes narrowed. He ignored the boy’s comment about ‘forgetful moms’ as he disappeared back in his own room. Nappa approached Bulma. She stood at the doorframe of her bedroom. She took note of Nappa’s confident sneer and waited for him to explain himself.

“You’re not fooling anyone. I know all about you _Dr._ Briefs,” Nappa mocked.

Bulma frowned at the soldier’s tone and cocked her hip. Nappa towered over her and could kill her with a flick of his wrist, but she wasn’t about to be intimidated. Unable to resist a little taunting, Bulma smirked.

“Oh really? And what do you think you know, Nappa?”

He growled at her haughty disposition and spat, “Until Frieza came, you were the heiress to the Capsule Corp. fortune. Now you’re trying to sleep your way back to the top and use Vegeta’s money. I just knew there was no way that some human whore was as brilliant as people said. Of course, I bet if you open your legs to enough people, they’ll say anything you want.”

“Oh, that’s all? You better watch your tone with me. I’m sure Vegeta wouldn’t take kindly to you slowing down my progress,” Bulma snipped back, covering her mouth to muffle a laugh.

“Okay, I’m ready!” Trunks called.

“If you’re done wasting my time, I’ve got some beauty rest to get. See to it that Trunks gets some sleep too.”

Before Nappa could respond, Bulma turned heel and slammed her bedroom door in his face.

“Bitch,” Nappa cursed, under his breath.

Slowly he turned back to Trunk watching him with a giddy expression. He had been wondering how he could pay the twerp back for his broken arm and training would be the perfect excuse. Maybe if he showed the prince how weak the boy was, Vegeta could return to normal. His doting on the half-breed and his whore mother was inexcusable and an insult to their Saiyan pride. Nappa seemed to be the only one who even cared how Vegeta was acting. His mind wandered to Raditz’s theory. Could the prince really be courting the strange blue-haired woman? She may have been pretty enough for a human, but she was nothing compared to a Saiyan.

Nappa led Trunks to the training room. The boy warmed up, bouncing lightly on his feet. Nappa frowned again. The Saiyan had kept his mouth shut, but he noticed Trunks watching him on the way home. Several times the small half-Saiyan glanced at his arm with an expression Nappa couldn’t pinpoint. After the statement about him getting hurt he knew the look, pity. Inwardly Nappa boiled. This boy wasn’t fit to clean his boots and he dared to pity him?

“What brat?” Nappa finally snapped.

“Um, I’m…I’m glad your arm is okay,” Trunks muttered, casting another glance at it.

Nappa didn’t respond for a moment. Was the kid mocking him? Did he actually feel remorse? It wasn’t an all-out apology, but it was close enough and honestly Nappa respected him less for it. What kind of respectable Saiyan felt bad about hurting someone? He never did. After a minute of no response, Trunks changed the subject.

“Okay, Nappa. Hit me with your best shot!” Trunks exclaimed, settling into his fighting stance.

Nappa grinned, “Kid, I’m gonna make you eat those words. You ever see Saibamen?”

He was going to pay, Nappa determined. Trunks shook his head to the question. Nappa crouched on the ground and pinched a seed. From the seed grew a small green alien. It grinned and flexed its claws at Trunks.

“These will make much better training partners than those bucket of bolts your mother made.”

Trunks walked up to the green beast as Nappa was making more and scratched his head, “They don’t look all that tough.”

“Just wait.”

The Saibamen locked onto Trunks and lunged for his back. Trunks dodged two before one dug its claws into his legs. Trunks yelled out and sent a ki blast at the Saibaman. Nappa took the opportunity to grab Trunks by the arm. He whipped him around like a rag doll and slammed him into the ground head first. Trunks coughed up a bit of blood and held his head. He tried to yank away from Nappa’s hold, but he felt so dizzy. The young boy felt the other Saiyan’s grip tighten a moment and then felt a pop as his humerus broke. Trunks unleashed a strangled cry as Nappa dropped his mangled arm. Nappa stepped back and the Saibamen launched. The last thing Trunks saw were the aliens attaching themselves to his legs before exploding one after another.

* * *

Vegeta entered the penthouse quietly. All the lights were off, but he had expected everyone to be sleeping. It was already past 2am.

He opened the door to his bedroom and sighed. It seemed Bulma had chosen to sleep in her bed that night. Flinging off his armor, Vegeta dropped his stuff on his bedroom floor and ventured to Bulma. He cracked open Bulma’s door to check on her. She slept tangled in her sheets with a light snore escaping her lips. Sprawled around her room were bolts and ideas for improvements scribbled on any scrap sheet of paper. Vegeta nimbly moved the papers and rested his eyes on Bulma again. He swept some of her messy flyaway hair behind her ear with a smile he didn’t think to squelch. Vegeta contemplated moving Bulma to his room, but she looked so peaceful. Instead he kissed her forehead and crept out the room.

He went to the kitchen next and made a sandwich. He took note of one of Trunk’s tests, smirking at the A before he concentrated on gathering his ingredients. It was late, but Vegeta was used to being up with Trunks at this time and wondered if he was still awake and hungry. Vegeta expanded his ki, searching for Trunk’s familiar signature and frowned. He couldn’t sense him in his room. Vegeta opened Trunks’s door. The room was empty and the bed was still made. The boy hadn’t been there for hours. Vegeta’s heart quickened, but he pushed the worry away. Vegeta concentrated on the demi-Saiyan’s ki and sensed him in the training room. The ki wasn’t strong.

“Probably wore himself out,” Vegeta surmised.

Despite his conclusion, worry gnawed at his insides. With a huff, Vegeta ventured down to the training room. Walking in, the first thing he smelled was blood and burnt flesh. Vegeta caught sight of Trunks, badly beaten and unconscious covered in his own dried blood. The prince was at his side within two seconds, assessing the damage. He tempered his rage just enough to pick Trunks up and bolted for his personal regeneration tank.

Once Trunks was hooked up and healing, Vegeta pieced together the boy’s injuries. Trunks had a gash on his head, probably from hitting the ground, but that wound was minor. His arm was broken in nearly the same manner the prince had broken Nappa’s arm. Most telling were the burns. The burn pattern was distinctive, obviously the work of Saibamen. Vegeta was angry, no livid was a better word. He wanted to snap Nappa’s neck for disobeying his command, but he needed to confirm his suspicions. He needed Trunks to wake up.

* * *

Trunks stirred to the sound of a buzzer and water draining. His eyes opened slowly. His movements were limited, but he was relieved to know he could move without pain. Trunks looked out the tank’s window and locked eyes with Vegeta. The man had a prominent scowl on his face with traces of distress knitted in his brow. Once all the water drained, the tank opened and released Trunks from his holding cell. The young boy stepped out and gratefully took the towel Vegeta offered him.

“Who did that to you?” Vegeta demanded, cutting to the chase.

The venom in his voice caused Trunks to shiver unconsciously, “Please don’t be mad. I’m sorry I worried you. I was just training and-”

“Answer me! Who did that to you?”

Trunks yelped, cowering back. Vegeta sighed, rubbing his temples. It wasn’t his intention to frighten the child, but any small capacity for mercy was overshadowed by Vegeta’s darker nature of bloodlust. It wasn’t merely training; it was vengeance.

“I tripped,” Trunks whimpered, but even he knew how ridiculous that excuse was, given his injuries.

“Trunks, I will not stand for a liar in my presence,” Vegeta growled. Why was he protecting Nappa? Did that oaf threaten him?

“Nappa,” Trunks whispered.

Seconds ticked by before Vegeta bore his trademark smirk, “I see.”

His measured response failed to reveal the rumbling waging war with his insides. Trunks refused to look at him and focused his sight on the ground, even when Vegeta led him back up to the penthouse. They passed the kitchen where Vegeta grabbed his earlier discarded sandwich. Trunks glanced at the sandwich and his own stomach growled in protest. With a weak grumble, Vegeta passed half of his meal to the child and pointed to Trunk’s room.

“Eat up and go to bed. Just because the regeneration tank healed your injuries, that doesn’t mean your body doesn’t need rest.”

Vegeta ran his thumb over Trunks’s forehead, assessing the thin scar still there, “Put some cream over this or your mother will never stop nagging me.”

Trunks chuckled and nodded, scarfing down his half of the sandwich, “Thank you, Prince Vegeta. Um, what will happen now? To Nappa I mean.”

Vegeta didn’t answer him. Instead he went back into the kitchen and put up his sandwich ingredients. He turned off the kitchen light and made his way back to his room.

“Go to bed, Trunks,” Vegeta uttered before shutting his door.

He turned on his light and trudged on his armor once more before pulling his scouter from his nightstand drawer. It only took a moment to power on the device and call his second in command.

Vegeta pressed the communicator of his scouter, “Nappa, come to the training room and test out the new gravity machine with me.”

“This late at night?” came a sluggish response on the other line.

“I have too much energy to sleep. Meet me in 15 mins.”

* * *

Nappa’s eyes trailed to where he’d left Trunks. The blood had been cleaned and all evidence of the boy was gone. The older Saiyan failed to see any blotches of blood left behind and he couldn’t tell of Trunks left on his own or was carried out.

“He’s gone to bed,” Vegeta answered, appearing behind the man.

Nappa yelped and stiffened. He hadn’t even sensed Vegeta until he spoke. Now that Nappa was facing him, the prince’s demeanor was akin to a cheetah moments before pouncing on a gazelle. The Saiyan’s blood ran cold and he tried to shake off his anxiety.

“Huh? Who’s gone to bed?” Nappa asked, playing dumb.

Vegeta slammed his elbow into Nappa’s side. Nappa rolled back and barely dodged a ki blast Vegeta aimed at him.

“I didn’t attack him, Vegeta. He was training with some Saibamen. He got hurt on his own!” Nappa feebly explained.

Vegeta charged another ki blast and roared, “You expect me to believe those Saibamen broke his arm?”

Nappa shrunk at the size of the blast and fell back against the wall, “I’m-I’m sorry! I got carried away!”

“No, you’re not sorry. Not yet. I obviously let you off too easily. I won’t make the same mistake again,” Vegeta concluded in a dark promise.

* * *

“Trunks, sweetie! Time to eat lunch!” Bulma called to her son.

A small number of servants brought in bowls of ramen and salad. Vegeta grunted a thanks and sat at the kitchen table. He grabbed a bowl of beef ramen, foregoing the salad.

“You know, it’s hard to convince Trunks to eat his vegetables when his hero won’t even eat a salad,” Bulma teased, taking a break from her inventions.

Vegeta groaned and shot Bulma a mild glare, but begrudgingly picked up a salad. Bulma grinned and gave Vegeta a peck on the cheek. She giggled at his sour demeanor and reddening cheeks as he shrugged her away.

“I don’t need your incessant yapping just to eat lunch,” Vegeta retorted hotly.

“I hope Trunks is okay,” Bulma stated without responding to Vegeta’s gripe, “I let him stay home from school because he looked so tired and he felt a little warm too. He rarely gets sick.”

“He just needs a good day to rest. Trunks will be fine,” Vegeta answered, “You need to take a break as well.”

“I will, I will!” Bulma dismissed lightly, “I just want to tinker with a few more drones.”

Minutes ticked by and Bulma noticed that Vegeta had stopped talking. She wiped her brow when she spotted the prince out the corner of her eye. He had stopped eating. A small smile graced his face, softening the creases around his eyes. He was admiring her. Bulma blushed and tucked a stray loc of hair behind her ear. She wasn’t dolled up in the latest fashions. She was dressed in a pair of baggy overalls with dirt under her fingernails. Her hair was messy and grime coated her cheek, but Vegeta looked at her like she was a princess in a fairytale. Trunks sauntered into the kitchen, breaking their spell. Bulma washed her hands and gathered their food. Trunks pulled up a chair, joined by Bulma.

She kissed Trunks’s forehead and set a bowl of salad and ramen in front of him, “Do you feel better, honey?”

Trunks nodded, sparing a look at Vegeta, “I’m okay, Mom. I overworked myself. That’s all.”

Vegeta’s scouter lit up and he fastened the device to his ear. Trunks strained to hear who was on the other line. Vegeta glanced his direction and ended the call quickly. Trunks nibbled on a bit of lettuce and tried to appear nonchalant, but gripped his chopsticks tighter.

_‘I know that was Nappa’s voice. Does he know I told?’_

Bulma felt Trunks’s forehead, “Trunks, are you sure you’re not coming down with something? You’re shaking.”

There was a knock at the door and Trunks stiffened. He felt so weak, but after last night, he was scared. He didn’t want to see that brute again. Vegeta barked for the individual to enter as he stood. Vegeta passed Trunks, patting his shoulder. The gesture was quick, but comforting. Nappa limped into the kitchen. Bulma gasped.

“Woah, what happened to your face?”

Nappa’s left eye was black and swollen shut. His jaw had been dislodged; knots littered his head. The rest of his body hadn’t fare any better. His entire body was black and blue with burn marks marring some of his skin. Vegeta returned to the kitchen with his digital map, answering Bulma’s question.

“Nappa tripped,” he answered with an air of finality and a hint of mockery.

Nappa didn’t respond. He kept his eyes on the ground, careful not to show his hatred for the half-breed. He stole a look at Trunks; the two locked eyes. Trunks flinched and averted his gaze. Nappa smirked at the boy’s fear.

_‘I don’t see that pitying look now, kid.’_

“Nappa! Pay attention!” Vegeta commanded sharply.

Nappa jumped slightly, “I’m sorry, Prince Vegeta. You were saying?”

“I have a mission for you,” Vegeta cooed, turning on the map.

The color drained from Nappa’s eyes and Trunks thought he heard him gulp. Vegeta put in the coordinates in his device. He smirked, watching the dread fill Nappa.

“Planet Vegeta needs a great deal of Larimar for some of the additional rooms of the castle. As you know, the planet of Ultsor has plenty. Your job is to retrieve as much as you can. Think you can handle that, Nappa?”

Nappa’s eyes went from the map to his prince, “Who will be accompanying me?”

“No one.”

Nappa’s one good eye widened, “But-but Prince Vegeta, this is easily a three-man job. Going through the winter tundra alone could kill me! The entire planet is full of those mammoths-”

“Are you not my second in command? Are you not a Saiyan? Your sense of pride is pathetic, even for you,” Vegeta taunted.

Bulma and Trunks slipped out the kitchen to avoid the confrontation. Trunks tugged on his mom’s lab coat. Even with Vegeta present, he didn’t want to be around Nappa.

“Can I go in my room? I can finish lunch later.”

Bulma pouted, but a pleading look had her agree, “Okay, you’re not hungry?”

Trunks lied, shaking his head. Bulma looked back at the Saiyans and walked into the kitchen. She walked in between the two and scooped up two bowls of ramen. Nappa gawked at the woman’s gall.

“Sorry, it just seems like this conversation is going to take longer than expected,” Bulma said.

“Don’t worry. Nappa will be leaving soon,” Vegeta answered, tossing Nappa a couple capsules.

Bulma walked out the kitchen and passed a bowl to her son, “Let’s eat in my room, kiddo.”

Vegeta folded his arms in contempt, strumming his gloved fingers against his biceps. Nappa sighed and rubbed the back of his head. His eyes remained trained on the floor.

“Am I able to take one of the ships?”

Vegeta laughed, “No, don’t think you can use a regeneration tank to heal. Take a pod and collect the larimar in the capsules I’ve given you. I’m giving you a month, now leave.”

Nappa gave a single nod and limped out the kitchen. He didn’t dare spare a look at the others and pushed a servant on his way out. The servant stumbled slightly, but moved enough to avoid falling. The servant began to collect the dirty dishes. Vegeta watched the servant for a moment before he knocked on Bulma’s bedroom door.

“Nappa’s gone. Done eating? Servant’s here to take the bowls,” Vegeta called.

The door opened and Bulma greeted him with a soft smile. Trunks grinned, showing off his bowl.

“I’m done! I can take yours too, Mom!”

Trunks pushed himself off the bed and took their bowls. Vegeta leaned against the door, watching Trunks converse with the servant. Bulma’s voice lowered.

“Nappa hurt Trunks, didn’t he?”

Vegeta shifted slightly to her, looking ahead, “Why do you say that?”

“Trunks got mousy as soon as he came in and that’s not like him. I felt so uneasy about letting him go with Nappa last night too,” Bulma answered, her lip quivering.

“I handled it,” Vegeta mumbled back.

“Yeah, I saw that. Nappa looked awful,” Bulma sighed. She hooked her arm around Vegeta’s and leaned on his shoulder, “I don’t know what happened, but thank you, Vegeta.”

Vegeta looked down at the woman. Admittedly, he thought she would have chastised him for being so violent. Perhaps Bulma understood Saiyan ways more than he gave her credit. Bulma gazed up at him with big, blue doe eyes full of admiration. Such a simple look upended Vegeta’s senses. His adam’s apple bobbled before his look turned predatory.

“Come back to my room,” Vegeta whispered, nipping her ear.

Bulma licked her lips in anticipation, but turned to see Trunks approaching. She stepped away, fixing a smile on her face. Trunks walked up looking more relaxed than he had all day.

“You look much better honey,” Bulma commented cheerfully.

“Thanks, I feel a lot better, Mom,” Trunks assured her.

Vegeta scowled, turning away from the two, “Hey, Trunks! Don’t you want to go play with Kakarot’s brat?”

Trunks cocked his head to the side, scratching it, “Goten? I mean I would, but he’s still in class. He gets out in an hour though.”

Vegeta feigned forgetfulness, “Oh, that’s right. Doesn’t he have the assignment you’re supposed to complete for class? Why don’t you head over to his home? You can even forego training and sleep there for the night, if your mother agrees.”

Trunks turned to his mother, giving her his biggest puppy dog eyes, “Oh, please! Please say yes Mom.”

Bulma sent a glare to Vegeta for making her have to play the bad guy, “Trunks, you were really tired today. That was the whole reason you even stayed home.”

“But I’m better now!” Trunks jumped up and down to display his renewed energy, “Plus I never get to have a sleepover.”

“He’s done well in class as of late,” Vegeta added with a shrug, “and he seems better. Let the boy go.”

Bulma sighed, rubbing her temples, “You two will push me to an early grave. Fine, go and have fun, but if you feel woozy, I’m coming to get you.”

Trunks embraced his mom and threw his arms around Vegeta before the Saiyan could shake him off.

“Thanks Mom. Thanks Prince Vegeta. I’ll go pack now!”

Trunks rushed to his room and slammed the door. Bulma turned to Vegeta. She placed her hands on her hips, but Vegeta’s smirk remained, despite her evident aggravation.

“Why did you send Trunks away like that?”

Vegeta chuckled and drew her close, “I did it so I could fuck you as loud as I wanted.”

Damn his sultry voice. Bulma twisted herself away from Vegeta, but faced his bedroom. Vegeta kissed the side of her neck, running his hands down her body. Trunks opened his door again and Bulma shoved Vegeta away. Her sudden strength surprised him and he staggered back.

“What the hell is your problem?” Vegeta complained.

“Oh sorry, I thought I saw a bug,” Bulma improvised, laughing nervously.

Trunks came out with a backpack bulging, “You ok, Mom?”

Bulma laughed even louder, “Sure, sure. Go have fun!”

Casting one last look at the two, Trunks shrugged and waved as he ran out the door. Vegeta slowly turned to Bulma, giving her that same voracious look. Her cheeks flushed and she felt herself grow more turned on the longer he watched her. Vegeta lifted Bulma up bridal style, leading her to his bedroom. Bulma giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Vegeta opened his bedroom door and set Bulma on the bed. He went back to lock the door, just in case Trunks returned too early. The prince wasted no time tearing off his clothes until only his boxers remained. Vegeta grinned and stalked back to his woman. He tossed Bulma’s lab coat and pulled her jeans to her ankles. Bulma kicked her pants off and flung aside her green shirt. The Saiyan crawled up his bed to where Bulma lied. Vegeta gazed at her a moment longer before pressing his lips softly against hers. Bulma moaned, clutching his chest like a lifeline.

Kissing him was more than pleasure, more than mere want. It was like breathing, necessary above all else. She wanted to devour him and be devoured by him as their bodies clashed and melded through a cataclysm of passion. As Vegeta deepened the kiss, Bulma could feel one of his hands working its way between her legs. She parted her legs with a wanton mew and gripped Vegeta’s member. He choked back his own grunt and pulled back with a smirk.

“You always try to take the lead, don’t you?”

Bulma smirked back, “And you always fight back, even though I know how much you love it.”

Bulma slipped from Vegeta’s grasp and moved to the head of the bed. She moved to her hands and knees, spreading herself for Vegeta.

“Here Mr. Big Strong Prince, you take the lead. Fuck me,” Bulma teased, fingering herself.

Vegeta sat back, watching Bulma pleasure herself as he stroked his own cock. He brought a thumb to her clit and rubbed it lightly. Another finger plunged into Bulma’s core as the Saiyan pulled Bulma across his lap. Bulma dug her nails into his thigh as she felt ripples of pleasure move through her.

“God, that always feels so good,” Bulma sighed, lifting her ass up.

Vegeta gave Bulma’s ass a playful swat, “Stop moving so much. I’m taking charge, right?”

Bulma giggled and agreed. Vegeta lied Bulma on her back again and pushed her legs as far back as her flexibility would allow. Bulma looked at Vegeta as he dropped to eye level with her womanhood.

“I can’t believe how wet you get,” Vegeta murmured before bringing his lips to her folds.

Hips shifted up to meet Vegeta’s mouth. Slow long licks altered from his firm slurping. Bulma’s lips parted and azure eyes glazed. Placid mews erupted from her throat. Bulma squirmed, babbling softly at first and then loudly as the warrior worked her body. Vegeta palmed her pussy, grinning at her. She made the cutest faces when she was about to cum.

“Not yet, Bulma,” Vegeta commanded, pulling away.

Bulma made a sound to complain when the bed shifted and Vegeta hovered over her form, pressing his member at her entrance. Vegeta held her captive in his onyx stare and pushed. Bulma gasped as Vegeta stuffed her. He purposely kept his thrusts slow and shallow, waiting for Bulma to adjust to his girth again. Bulma stretched around his cock like a vice and wiggled a bit to coax Vegeta to speed up. Planting a kiss on her neck, Vegeta fell into a rhythm. The creak of the bed, those breathy squeals, and his own pants created a symphony that spurred on his thrusts. He felt Bulma’s slick walls clasp around him, pulsing with every pump. Vegeta cursed, shaking. He grinned down at Bulma. She knew what that did to him. Expectedly Vegeta came, coating her insides with his thick semen. Bulma rested her own shaking legs on Vegeta’s shoulders, allowing him to fill her and use her to his liking. Finally, the Saiyan slumped beside her, spent. He pulled out before drawing the pretty scientist into his arms to spoon.

“Can you get me some water?” Bulma asked, feeling the edges of sleep coming for her already.

Bulma twisted to face him. Vegeta retreated with a quick kiss to her cheek. Bulma giggled again and cuddled into a pillow, shutting her eyes. After a few minutes she heard the Saiyan enter the room once more. Vegeta shook her glass of water over her head and a few droplets dripped on her forehead, causing another laugh from Bulma. Her lashes fluttered open and Bulma was graced with a rare sight. Vegeta smiled softly, mellowing his usual dour character. It was a reluctant smile, rusty from long disuse. Bulma took the drink and set it aside. She cupped her hands around his cheeks. So much hung in the air, in the small space between them. The silence seemed to swallow her whole. Bulma pulled away before she got emotional and took a gulp of water. Vegeta pulled back the covers and lied on his back. He smirked when Bulma found herself lying on his chest, listening to the strong, steady beats of his heart. Vegeta’s body lied limp and heavy, but pleasantly buzzed in the aftermath of sex. He gathered just enough energy to place one last kiss on Bulma’s forehead before she succumbed to sleep. Vegeta tucked his nose in Bulma’s hair, inhaling greedily. How glorious it was for his mind and body to be on one accord. Her scent was stronger and even her ki sought him out. Locating her was as natural as taking a breath.

She dozed; her cheek smushed against his chest and her blue hair feathered against his skin. Vegeta stared out the window, making out the silhouette of buildings and mountains in the distance. The inky depths of night brought a peace he not often felt. _Only with her_ , Vegeta thought. The realization brought an ache that the prince had pushed to the back of his mind time and time again. Unconsciously, Vegeta held her tighter, forcing down the lump in his throat. He replayed the day. He was getting attached. He saw it. He felt it, but nothing seemed to dim his feelings and it wasn’t merely for Bulma, but Trunks as well. What did it all mean? It was more than sex and more than loneliness, but something stopped him from naming the feeling. In some ways it felt like torture to be so vulnerable. In other ways, it was effortless and that scared Vegeta more. Though the war was over, Vegeta couldn’t afford to have such a liability in his line of work. The Saiyan glared in the darkness, cursing under his breath. Bulma shifted in her sleep, drawing his attention to her once more. He was a selfish bastard, but he cared for her. He cared for them both. Vegeta sighed. He hoped that would be enough to keep them for now.

**Ok, so I wanted to add so much more, but it was getting a bit long so I decided to break up my chapter. I hated I had to do this because I wanted to get to the point where Vegeta meets Yamcha and Bulma’s parents already. I just thought that would be a lot to edit and I have already held off updating for months. I have 5000 words written and I hope to have the next chapter up by early next week! Thanks for reading and your patience.**


	14. Chapter 14

**I wanted to get this out earlier, totally forgetting about the NYCC Convention. Preparing for that and work really cut my time to write and edit down. So many apologies; I keep saying the chapter will consist of this and then once I start writing, it gets so bulky so I'm going to focus on a good product and stop making promises lol.**

**In other news I found out Love In Season was nominated for The Prince and the Heiress Vegebul Writing and Art Community Annual Awards and I could not be more honored. Thank you to all who encourage me to continue this story and thought it was worthy of a nomination amongst so many amazing stories and writers. If you have the time please go vote! While I continue to flesh out my next chapter, I hope you enjoy a flashback chapter. Happy Halloween, stay safe, and if you are a registered in the United States GO VOTE!**

**Love In Season**

**Ch. 14**

_Bulma sighed and blew on her nails. The red polish was taking too long to dry for her liking. Her days since Vegeta's heat had been dull, especially since the Saiyan prince left immediately after returning to normal. After a week, most of Bulma's bruises were gone or at least were not tender to the touch. The thing that hurt her the most was her ego. She'd forgotten herself. She had practically begged him for monogamy, despite the fact that they were not a couple. It backfired. After the last night of his heat, Vegeta simply left without a word or goodbye._

" _Good riddance to that jerk," Bulma grumbled softly._

" _Stop thinking about him," Riza suggested, "It will make your time here much more bearable."_

_Bulma groaned and set the polish aside, "Who said I was thinking about Vegeta? I don't care where he is. He could be lost in space for all I care!"_

_Riza knocked on the human's door, letting herself in Bulma's room after the third knock. Bulma sat at the foot of her twin bed, pouting at the wall. Riza pulled the woman in a side hug._

" _Perhaps its best that he left. The prince was so out of control when I saw him last."_

" _I know, but I talked to him about that. He apologized for everything, for being too rough when he was in heat, for having sex with Maron, everything."_

_Riza's eyes blanked a moment. Bulma noticed her dark eyes would do that anytime she was calculating something. She groaned again, knowing Riza was going to give her a mouthful._

" _Why would the prince apologize for using another slave?"_

_Bulma mirrored her confused expression, "Well, because it hurt me-"_

" _Why? Why did you care?"_

_Bulma's cheeks puffed, "Well because…why does it matter? He disappeared anyway."_

_Riza stood from the bed, pacing slightly, "I warned you, Bulma. You're too smart for this."_

" _What! What's the problem now? You're the one making a big deal out of nothing."_

_Riza stopped pacing, "You're in love with a monster. That's the problem. For a smart, confident girl, you accept so little."_

" _Leave," Bulma uttered with a frown, "If you think so little of me, why don't you get the hell out?"_

_Riza folded her arms and shook her head, "Are we not friends? Can I not be honest with you? I've been held captive here since I was young. My home planet was destroyed and I was sent to the brothels as soon as I became of age. You have no idea how many women I've seen come through here. I don't want you to fall to the same fate as them."_

_Bulma glared at the robotic woman, but her rage faltered and she mumbled an apology, "Sorry, Riza. Really I am. I just can't stand you being so critical. We're slaves! I just want to feel something that would make me feel alive. It's hell being here and being with Vegeta was nice. Our relationship is odd, sure, but I think we complement each other."_

_Riza's eyes softened at Bulma's reasoning and spoke gently, "You always talk about how he listens to you and talks to you. How many nights don't end in sex?"_

_The blue-haired human bit her lip, "What's wrong with a healthy sex life?"_

" _If he loves you so much, where is he now? Better yet, if he loves you, why are you still a slave?" Riza pressed further._

" _I didn't say he loved me. I don't even know how I feel about Vegeta. Why are you acting like this?" Bulma spat. How could Bulma even consider Riza a friend when all she had were disparaging remarks towards her?_

" _I just want you to want more for yourself. The only connection you two have is when the prince is between your legs. I don't mean to be crude, but you're a slave to him. You're brilliant, Bulma. Out of all of us, you can get out of here and back to your normal life." Riza drew Bulma into another hug, "Don't settle and don't be foolish, my friend."_

_Pilaf burst in the room with a sneer. He threw a sheer red dress at Bulma. Riza backed away from the woman and returned to her own small room._

" _#6810, Prince Vegeta requests you! Stop dawdling and meet him in his room," Pilaf snapped._

_That news would have been something that excited Bulma had she not spoken to Riza, but after speaking to her, so much tumbled in her mind. In a bit of a blur she changed clothes and found herself in front of Vegeta's room once again. She knocked softly. Bulma heard the bed creak and after a minute Vegeta opened the door. He stepped aside, letting Bulma inside and began rummaging in his knapsack._

" _Where did you go? You left without even saying a word," Bulma questioned, trying to keep her irritation down._

" _You needed to rest," Vegeta grumbled, pulling out tools and scrap metal, "Come here."_

_Bulma frowned, but walked over to the Saiyan, "What are you doing?"_

" _I have a lot of parts. Maybe you can find what you need to make a weapon for yourself," Vegeta answered and tossed her a dagger, "It should do in the meantime."_

_Bulma inspected the knife, marveling at its craftmanship. Vegeta turned around and fully beheld her. His attention fell to Bulma's pert nipples straining against the lightweight mesh. Bulma noticed his stare and smirked._

" _Don't think you'll have any fun with these until you give me some answers," Bulma teased, flicking her nipples._

_Vegeta snorted, "Do you have any regular clothes?"_

_Bulma paused her teasing, settling into a sullen pout. Was he disgusted with her body now? Bulma sat at the edge of the bed and pulled her knees to her chest. The Saiyan's brows creased._

" _What is it? Why are you so moody?" Vegeta asked._

_Bulma glared, ignoring his question, "Why did you call me here?"_

_Vegeta crouched until he was eye level with the Earthling. Bulma expected a temper in return, but received only a slight confused grimace. Vegeta opened his mouth to reply, but sighed._

" _Whatever, stay pissed but stand up," Vegeta instructed._

_Bulma stood with her arms folded underneath her breasts. The warrior glanced at her attire one more time before tossing her his cape. Catching the hint, Bulma draped the cape over her form. She glanced in a mirror, admiring how the red cape hung like one of her old designer ponchos. She blew a kiss to herself._

" _I look pretty good in this. Maybe instead of complaining about my attire, you should buy me some cute clothes. I could try them on after you ditch me."_

" _That's your problem? Yeah sure, now stop playing around," the Saiyan grumbled, blocking her view of the mirror._

_Vegeta gripped her hands and guided them towards his eye sockets. The pads of his thumbs pressed firmly over Bulma's thumbs. Bulma gasped and tried to jerk away, but Vegeta held her firmly. The scowl on his face deepened as he locked eyes with the woman._

" _You would only have one shot so don't hesitate. Anyone grabs you like this, gouge their eyes out, raise your knee to create space and kick hard," Vegeta instructed, guiding Bulma through the motions._

_When Vegeta released her, Bulma stepped back with a worried expression, "Vegeta, you're scaring me. I don't think the dagger and all this is necessary-"_

" _Look at your arms! I still see the bruises so don't tell me you don't need this," Vegeta snapped._

_His gaze sealed on Bulma sternly and Vegeta repeated, "Anyone grabs you like that, gouge their eyes out, raise your knee to create space and kick hard. Understood?"_

_Bulma nodded, "Even if it's you?"_

_Vegeta gave her a pained look before turning away. He fixed himself a glass of water and guzzled the liquid down. When Vegeta's eyes met Bulma's again, he had settled into a practiced, guarded expression._

" _If I ever lose myself like that, you won't get another chance," Vegeta remarked without a moment of incertitude._

_Bulma gulped, but nodded again and Vegeta led her through a series of self-defense tactics. Though the interaction started tense, Bulma actually enjoyed herself. She pushed Riza's questions to the back of her mind while executing Vegeta's movements. Despite the prince's impatient disposition, he was actually a good teacher. Vegeta praised Bulma's reflexes after a well-executed punch. Against Pilaf's constant shrieking and the grunts of other customers, Bulma craved Vegeta's words of encouragement. Vegeta knocked Bulma's knife from her hand and pinned her on the bed._

_He wrapped his hand around her throat, but kept a lax grip, "Alright, what's your move now?"_

_Bulma dug her fingernails in Vegeta's hand, trying to pull the hand away._

_Vegeta shook his head, "An enemy could snap your neck by then. Think Bulma."_

_The scientist flailed her hand in an attempt to scratch his eyes. Though he was being careful, the warrior's heavy body was starting to affect her airflow. Vegeta shifted slightly, but grinned at her attempt._

" _You're getting closer," he teased._

_Looking frantically, Bulma spotted a vase in arm's length with her dagger on the other side. Bulma grabbed the vase and slammed it against Vegeta's skull. Running on adrenaline, she lunged for the dagger as Vegeta's hold loosened and swiped it in front of her. Bulma thought she had created enough distance, but miscalculated and sliced Vegeta's cheek. Vegeta froze a moment, touching the spot where the dagger connected. He looked at his fingers, marveling at the drops of blood on the pads of his fingertips._

" _Oh my god! I'm so sorry, Vegeta; wait here!" Bulma cried, running into the bathroom._

_She returned with a warm washcloth, alcohol pads, and a small bandage. She pressed the clean cloth against Vegeta's cheek. All the while, Vegeta hadn't spoken._

" _I'm so sorry. I think I just got a little carried away," Bulma apologized._

" _Amazing," Vegeta uttered in admiration, "I didn't know you had that in you. You managed to catch me off guard enough to inflict a wound."_

_The pride in her prince's voice was undeniable as was the lust as Vegeta pulled Bulma to his lap. Bulma straddled him, enjoying the feel of his bulge between her legs. It made sense that fighting would be a bit of a turn on for Vegeta, but she envisioned the man as more of a sadist than a masochist. Bulma treated the wound and pressed firmly on the bandage. She placed a featherlight kiss on Vegeta's uncut cheek._

" _There. All better, Prince Vegeta," Bulma declared sweetly, "Sorry again."_

" _Stop apologizing. I like to see that fight in you. It will serve you well in this type of world," Vegeta answered._

_Vegeta lied back in the bed, resting a moment from teaching. Bulma cleaned the knife and placed it on the nightstand. She pulled off Vegeta's cape and stretched. She noticed Vegeta watching her from across the room. Bulma grabbed a glass of water and drank it, deliberately letting a few droplets roll down her throat and between the swell of her breasts. Bulma made eye contact with the quiet Vegeta again. She sauntered back to the bed and crawled on top of the prince. Her hand brushed against his manhood and Bulma heard Vegeta's breath hitch. She gave a wide grin and whispered in Vegeta's ear._

" _So did you want to fool around? You feel hard as a rock already and I know it's been a week." Bulma teased._

_Vegeta pushed her off his form gently and inspected her. His eyes drifted to the marks still healing on her and shook his head guiltily. Bulma resisted a smile. He never said it aloud, but he cared about her, she just knew it. Why else would he put in so much effort without the reward of sex? Her friend was wrong, well-meaning but wrong. Their relationship wasn't just sex, though Bulma loved that too. It had depth. Prince Vegeta saw her as more than a slave and she saw him as more than a distraction._

" _I'm, uh, not really in the mood," Vegeta responded, avoiding her eyes._

_He was a terrible liar. His body was screaming for her touch, but Bulma didn't correct him. Vegeta stood up. He adjusted his pants in a weak attempt to cover his uncomfortable hard on. Bulma moved to the other side of the bed._

" _We could make out."_

_Vegeta pouted, "Make out what?"_

_Bulma giggled. The mighty prince was little more than a petulant child before her. She wondered how many girls he kissed before her. Vegeta didn't answer her, trying to piece together the oddity of her phrase through context._

" _It's fine. What do you want to do? Any hobbies or interests?" She asked._

" _Hobbies?" Vegeta repeated._

_Bulma covered her mouth in a laugh at the man's confused expression, "Like what do you do for fun?"_

' _I fuck you,' Vegeta thought, but he knew that wasn't the answer Bulma wanted._

_Something in his smirk gave away his dirty thoughts and Bulma smirked in return, "I meant besides sex."_

" _I…train."_

_Bulma smiled, "Okay, what else?"_

_What else was there? Vegeta never needed much: the basics of food, water, and shelter, the occasional fuck and training. He was more than satisfied with those things._

" _Okay then can we do something I like to relax?"_

_Vegeta's more curious nature got the better of him, "Like what?"_

* * *

_Vegeta couldn't remember the last time he felt so at ease. On a lazy Sunday, he'd decided to forego his training for what Bulma had labeled a movie marathon. He had taken a cold shower to relieve himself while Bulma hunted down a movie. After much scouring, she'd found the moving pictures that were readily available on planets like hers. Bulma breathed out a contented sigh, snuggling on his chest._

" _I know you love your training, but you have to admit this is pretty nice too though, right?"_

_Vegeta didn't speak. These last few months with her measured out like a few good minutes in the drudgery that was his existence. A few good minutes wasn't time at all really, but holding Bulma against his chest made time slow. Perhaps for the first time in the prince's life, he wanted time to slow. Absentmindedly, Vegeta wished for Guldo's powers. He longed to hold his breath and savor every second, memorizing this moment for eternity._

_Bulma's blunt fingers ran through his scalp and before long she heard a strange sound. It sounded almost like gurgling, but smoother. Vegeta was purring in her lap like one of her father's pets. She looked up at Vegeta, her eyes dotted in fascination. Vegeta's eyes were closed. He inhaled deeply and released another purr. Bulma smiled. He looked so immersed in his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed her watchful eye. He had finally trusted her enough to let his guard down. Unable to resist herself, Bulma kissed him. Vegeta stiffened slightly at the contact of his lips against hers. They had kissed before, but always during sex where it was simply in the heat of the moment. This was different and Bulma couldn't help feeling a more timid nature rear its head when Vegeta failed to move his lips._

_Bulma pulled back. Maybe Riza was right. Vegeta opened his eyes, scrutinizing the young woman's actions. He cupped her cheek, looking for any sign of resistance. Their eyes locked a moment before Vegeta pressed his lips to Bulma's again. His touch was warm and tender, much softer than any of their more passionate kisses. Bulma moaned softly, feeling her resolve return. Vegeta tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her chest to chest. The kisses deepened until Bulma's hand fell to his boxers and Vegeta groaned, pushing her hand away from his growing bulge._

" _If you're afraid to hurt me, then just give me control. Let me ride you," Bulma suggested amused as she straddled him._

_Vegeta watched her curiously. He couldn't pinpoint when it happened, but somewhere the dynamics of their relationship had shifted. Bulma had grown more and more comfortable giving orders and he was all too comfortable letting her. Still he couldn't deny how she could intoxicate him with a simple touch and those big doe eyes. Vegeta sighed. Here he didn't have to be strong. He could give in to his desires. No one had to know this side of him, but her. Vegeta gave a single nod and tugged off his pants. Bulma pecked his cheek and slipped out of her sheer dress. She turned the television off, done with the movies. Vegeta lied back on the bed, looking up at Bulma expectantly. Bulma hovered over Vegeta's throbbing member, focusing on her lover's hands._

" _I want to feel you too," Bulma said, intertwining her fingers around his gloves._

_She pulled the gloves off and tossed them to the side. She loved the feel of Vegeta's hands, skin on skin. She took his palms and pressed them against her breasts. Vegeta allowed her to move him in place, but flicked her nipples playfully. The nimble human lifted herself up a moment with a laugh at Vegeta's antics. She brushed her nipples against his mouth._

" _I want to feel you all over me and deep inside of me," Bulma purred._

_Bulma positioned herself and stroked Vegeta's meaty girth, readying herself. She bounced slowly on Vegeta's cock, burying his member deep within her folds. Vegeta panted out her name. His body felt as if it were on fire; his cock thickened as the heat pooled between his legs. She stilled, shutting her eyes. Vegeta touched her cheek and grazed his lips against hers. Bulma moved again, grinding her insides to all her pleasure spots. Vegeta bucked his hips as he released another grunt. The sweat on his forehead glistened as the warrior strained to keep in place._

' _Let her have this,' he thought._

_Vegeta distracted himself by breaking away from their kiss and sucking Bulma's hardened nipples. She squealed, gushing under his touch. She fucked him gently, slower than his rough ruts and nothing like he had experienced before. It was unnerving as it was intoxicating. Bulma pushed and pulled to her own rhythm, moaning in his ear as she filled herself with his cock._

_Bulma's pace slowed and she started sobbing. As her fingers dug into Vegeta's shoulders, the Saiyan gripped her ass, taking the lead. He pounded her pussy, stretching her slightly with his hands. His shaft glistened in Bulma's juices. She wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck, holding on to him helplessly. After several pumps of his hips, Vegeta felt Bulma stiffen, clenching hard. She wailed into the man's ear, singing his name. The warrior choked on his own cry, shaking slightly before he found his release._

" _Fuck, fuck! Bulma," Vegeta rasped, filling her with his seed._

_Bulma slumped, still seated on Vegeta's cock as it pulsed inside her. Vegeta lifted her off him, setting her beside him. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he lied back fully. Bulma rocked against him; Vegeta twisted a finger in her cunt, earning her whimpers. Another shiver ran through her. She cuddled into her prince's side, sighing contently. The two settled into a comfortable silence, basking in the afterglow of sex._

" _Vegeta?" Bulma asked softly, rubbing circles into his chest with her fingers._

" _Hmm?" The Saiyan slurred; his tail curled around her thigh._

_Bulma kissed his cheek. He was practically putty in her hands now and they both knew it._

" _Have you ever been on a date? Like something from the movie we watched?" She inquired._

_Vegeta's eyes softly opened, "No, what an utter waste of time."_

_Bulma smiled, expecting his response, "I don't think so. We could go somewhere, nothing special. It's been months since I've left Starlight. I'm finally out in space and I don't even know what it looks like."_

_Vegeta shifted slightly, looking down at the woman, "What's gotten into you suddenly? Why do you care about all these ridiculous things? There is nothing special about space. It's just another place where your enemies try to kill you."_

_Bulma bit her lip, "Vegeta, what do you see when you look at me? I mean beyond sex and beyond this brothel. If you saw me on the street, what would you think?"_

_Vegeta prepared his tongue to fire out a smart-ass comment, but looking at her, he stopped short. Bulma looked almost fragile as if she were holding her breath for his response. Even the ordeal with the monsters hadn't shown Vegeta the same level of vulnerability in her eyes. When Vegeta spoke, the softness in his voice even surprised himself._

" _I see a woman, one with the strength and iron will that rivals a Saiyan," Vegeta answered truthfully, absent of a smirk._

_Bulma slumped in the bed. She wanted to hear she was beautiful and smart and talented. She wanted to hear sweet nothings as Vegeta wooed her like in the movies. Vegeta noticed her dejection and nudged her gently, silently asking what was bothering her._

" _It's nothing. Thank you really," Bulma flashed a smile before admitting softly, "I guess I was just hoping you saw more."_

" _Saiyans only like strong women. That's how we're wired. I've given you the highest praise on my planet," Vegeta explained, surprisingly patient._

" _Oh. Oh, I didn't understand that before. Thank you," Bulma smiled._

_Vegeta swept the bangs from Bulma's face, watching her curiously. Her cheeks flushed under his scrutiny, but she kept his eye contact. Vegeta cleared his throat, looking away._

" _What do you see? When you look at me?" Bulma heard the quiet anxiety that lingered on his lips._

" _I see a handsome, hardworking, proud, and incredibly strong man," She gushed._

_Bulma wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck and greeted him with a kittenish grin. Vegeta met her gaze bravely, despite his growing blush. He said nothing, but his eyes were tender and grateful. He kissed her; his lips molded perfectly against hers. Bulma's stomach fluttered in pleasure as she fell into the kiss. She pulled away after a moment, voicing another question._

" _We have something special, right? I mean I feel like we do."_

" _Special like what?" Vegeta asked, amused._

_As soon as her confidence appeared, it was gone. Riza had shaken her. Bulma could hear her clinginess and pushed it down. Her time with Vegeta was supposed to be something fun and turned into something more. Did he feel the same way and how would she react if he didn't? Bulma couldn't risk knowing his answer._

" _Um, nothing. I'm just in my head."_

_Vegeta's scouter buzzed. He checked the address, noting it was from Frieza's headquarters. Vegeta grumbled, sitting up. Bulma moved from his side._

" _Important call?" She asked._

_Vegeta hooked the scouter to his ear, "Probably bullshit, but I have to take it."_

_Bulma nodded and slid off the bed, "I'm going to get some water. You want anything?"_

_Vegeta shook his head and turned on his communicator. The video projector turned on and a familiar voice chuckled, "Did you have trouble with your scouter? I loathe having to wait."_

" _Frieza?" gasped Vegeta, bolting up._

_Usually his assignments were from Frieza's underlings; rarely did the tyrant bother with doling out information personally. Bulma looked up at the projection, nearly dropping her water. The Saiyan before her eyes was deathly quiet. It was as if he feared breathing too heavily would spell his death. Regarding Frieza, it just might. Bulma frowned. Vegeta looked paler than she had ever seen him. Frieza laughed at his reaction._

" _Well, hello my little monkey prince. I noticed you've been keeping out of trouble as of late, almost docile. I've decided to reward you with a new responsibility. Dedoria usually handles it, but he has other matters to attend to on Planet Vegeta. I'm considering adding to my illustrious Frieza force so your task is to ingratiate yourself with a diplomat by the name of Zarbon. Think you're capable of such a task?"_

_Vegeta stammered on a response, "Uh, yes. I can handle it."_

_Frieza clapped his hands, "Wonderful. Report back once you are finished. And Vegeta? Do mind your manners around Zarbon. Attempt to act like the royalty you claim."_

_Vegeta watched the screen go black and he stood. Bulma watched his expression. His tail had actually tucked between his legs like a dog. His ignominious expression drew her closer and Bulma wrapped her arms around the prince from behind. Vegeta was a statue as the woman hugged him like a lifeline. The room remained ghostly quiet. Finally Vegeta turned to face Bulma, only to see she had been crying. His brow twisted in agony as Vegeta tried to make sense of what had her so upset. Bulma rubbed her eyes and Vegeta tilted her chin until she met his eyes._

" _What's wrong? Are you hurt?"_

" _Frieza. He's the one that forced me into this life," Bulma explained after a recess of silence._

_Vegeta's eyes softened slightly and his voice was a quiet whisper, "Me too."_

* * *

_Bulma held the box in her hands, admiring the large gold bow. She peered down at Pilaf. His arms were folded and he had a frown, no doubt angry at his role of messenger. Bulma noticed the card, sticking out from the bow. There was no name, but she noticed the Saiyan crest._

" _Um, thank you Pilaf," Bulma said, setting the box down._

_Pilaf's eyes went to the box, hopeful Bulma would reveal its contents. After a moment, he flashed a pout before growling out, "I'm not your mailman so limit your packages and just know that if a client gives you money, you owe Starlight half!"_

_With a grumble, the nosy imp left. Bulma waved Riza over. The robotic looking woman slipped through the door. She pointed to the gift._

" _What's that? The girls don't often get gifts here."_

" _I don't know, but it has Prince Vegeta's crest on it and it's pretty light so it's not a body part or something," Bulma joked, "It's probably lingerie or a sex toy."_

_Riza didn't react beyond a polite smile. She knew well enough to keep her opinion of the prince to herself, "No need to guess, Bulma. Open it!"_

_Bulma chuckled at the woman's urging and nodded. She unwrapped the bow and pulled up the box top. Bulma gasped. Her fingers treaded the delicate fabric of blues, reds, and whites accented in gold. She pulled out three dresses, holding the white gown to her form._

_Riza felt the gold embroidery along the gown's bust line, "Wow, the prince gifted you this? This is fine, expensive fabric."_

_Bulma couldn't resist a smile at the awe in Riza's tone. She went to her mirror and inspected the dress. The Earthling released a giddy laugh and twirled, clutching the dress._

" _These are so beautiful and each one is perfect for a different occasion. The blue mini dress is great for going out, the red knee length can be casual or classy, and this white dress is perfect for tonight's event!"_

_Riza bounced on Bulma's bed lightly, twisting the gold bow between her fingers, "I can't believe the prince would give a slave such lavish gifts. Did you request this from him?"_

_Bulma had discarded her original slinky dress for the white. She walked to the mirror and pushed up her bra. The thigh high slit and deep V were perfect for accentuating her assets and it seemed Vegeta had good taste in more than his choice of woman._

" _I wouldn't say I requested it, but I mentioned it to Vegeta. I never expected this though. I feel like a princess," Bulma giggled._

_Riza frowned, but forced a tight smile, "I'm glad you're happy, Bulma. You certainly will stand out if that is your intention. No other girl will have such lavish attire. It's a shame really, seeing as the club is to get some famous diplomat tonight."_

_Bulma hung up her remaining dresses and grinned, "Yes, he is Prince Vegeta's guest. Maybe I can get him to introduce me. Ya know it pays to have friends in high places."_

_Pilaf called Bulma's number from the hallway. Bulma hugged Riza and skipped out the door, "Wish me luck!"_

* * *

" _Too bad Nappa is on a mission. He's missing all the real action. Still he ain't really good at stuff like this anyway," Raditz commented, taking a seat at the reserved table._

_Vegeta didn't answer his subordinate, instead scanning the room for Zarbon. He'd worn his best formal armor, complete with his crest and cape and the bastard couldn't even be bothered to show up on time? Vegeta seethed internally until he spotted a green braid clad in armor mixed with the crowd. Vegeta pushed his way through the throngs of people to the figure._

" _Zarbon, pleased you could come. I am Prince Vegeta and this is Raditz," the Saiyan introduced._

_Zarbon turned slightly, sizing the smaller Saiyan up with a grin, "Yes, the pleasure is mine. Gentlemen, I hope this is the beginning of a formidable union."_

_Vegeta gave a single nod and led the men to their reserved seating. The service was exceptional. Pilaf spared no expense in making sure the men were supplied with all the women, booze, food, and entertainment they could manage. Raditz reveled in the treatment; it wasn't often he experienced these type of perks, especially as a lower grade fighter. Vegeta had warned him against drinking in excess so he ate more, calling up a beautiful woman after each plate. Vegeta coddled a whiskey, choosing to keep his wits. The women present carried no interest for him. Idly he wondered if it had something to do with his promise to Bulma or the fact that his stomach twisted when he so much thought of sleeping with another girl. Vegeta dismissed the thought completely, taking a bite of an animal similar to a duck._

" _Are you regularly stationed here? What a pleasure to have so many delectable treats at your disposal. I'll need to take at least one woman to my chambers during my stay," Zarbon mused, swirling a glass of wine._

" _Lately, we've gotten lucky being here. This is a pretty busy sector with a lot of goods for Frieza-Lord Frieza," Raditz amended quickly, shifting a look at Vegeta._

_He didn't want word to get back that the Saiyan's were being disrespectful. He turned to his leader to confirm he was safe, but Vegeta hadn't been paying attention. His focus was solely on the newest woman Pilaf had sent. Regal was an understatement. Bulma wore her dress with the air of a queen, poised and beautiful beyond words. Vegeta couldn't look away. Zarbon turned to see what had the prince's attention and licked his lips._

" _That one with the blue hair is pretty," Zarbon purred, "She's too pretty to be a Saiyan, but she resembles the breed. What did Pilaf say those were? Human?"_

" _You don't want her," Vegeta's irascible tone betrayed his apathic façade._

_Inwardly Vegeta cursed. He should have kept quiet as he had done most of dinner. Vegeta had never been a fan of small talk. That's why he invited Raditz to attend; Raditz could ramble on while Vegeta gathered information. He had managed to surmise that Zarbon was as much of a sick bastard as Frieza. He used his power to live out any fantasy he could conjure, and delighted in taking advantage of another's weak spot. As soon as the words left his mouth, Vegeta knew he'd made a mistake. Zarbon watched the prince's features darken at the mention of the Earthling and smirked. Raditz caught the growl edging in Vegeta's voice and nudged him under the table._

_Raditz agreed, covering up his superior's odd behavior, "Yeah, I heard humans carry shit that our medicine doesn't even work against and they aren't even good in bed. Trust us. Those human bodies are just petri dishes for diseases."_

" _Aww Prince Vegeta, are you worried for my well being or is it something more? You've barely spoken or shown interest in anything up until now. One mention of some woman and you're practically bristling," The teal alien cooed._

_Vegeta huffed, folding his arms, "It's as my comrade stated. However, if you want to leave this station diseased, then by all means bed that one."_

_Zarbon smiled, but didn't press further. He called a waitress for another round of food and drink. A pretty humanoid brunette poured the diplomat another glass. Zarbon snaked his hand up her dress, laughing as she yelped. The woman skirted away, casting a displeased look before disappearing in the back._

" _That girl must be new," Raditz said, taking a drink, "The girls don't usually scream just because you get a little handsy."_

_Zarbon watched where the woman left and scanned the room, "Saiyans can transform as well, correct? Have you ever pleasured yourself in your beast state or attempted to reproduce in that form?"_

_Vegeta dropped his fork, losing some of his appetite, "What?"_

_Zarbon's grin widened; he sighed, "It was the most exhilarating feeling and a bit of a drug. Once you take a woman in your purest form, it's hard to return."_

_Vegeta bit back an insult to call him a deranged freak, opting for a little diplomacy, "We would kill the woman before we even completed our transformation. It would be impossible. "_

" _Yes, it's a shame, though not impossible. Most are split in half, but the moments before, that is euphoria. The unbelievable tightness and those wide eyes before death. Hmm those eyes alone are orgasmic," Zarbon groaned, casting another look toward Bulma waiting on a table, "I bet she would scream so pretty."_

_Vegeta turned in the direction Zarbon was looking and paled. He needed to get Bulma far away from this alien. Raditz said something to Zarbon, but it all became a blur. Bulma caught his eye and beamed, walking straight for his table. Vegeta panicked. He couldn't have Bulma have any conversation with Zarbon. He examined her clothing for the first time fully. She was wearing the clothes he'd bought for her. It would only spell trouble if Zarbon or Raditz noticed that he'd put her in his royal colors._

' _Damn, why did she have to pick that outfit today?' Vegeta thought._

_Bulma bowed to the group, revealing her cleavage, dusted gold in body glitter. Fuck, why did she have to look so damn attractive? Bulma placed her hands on Vegeta's shoulder, outlining his Saiyan crest._

" _Is there anything you wanted from me, Prince Vegeta? Let me get you another drink."_

_Bulma moved to grab a bottle of Vegeta's favorite whiskey. Zarbon's sickening gleam reappeared as his gaze shifted between Vegeta and Bulma. The pretty Earthling didn't notice to Vegeta's chagrin. She started to pour the drink when Zarbon's hands crept up her hips._

" _Are you free later? I've never bedded a beauty like you," The reptilian diplomat groaned._

_Bulma yelped at the sudden touch, spilling a bit of whiskey on Vegeta's lap. The spill was minimal; his real rage was the thought that Zarbon would ever touch what was rightfully his. The spilled drink presented the perfect opportunity to get Bulma away from him._

" _Dammit woman!" Vegeta stood abruptly and grabbed the small human's wrist, making the hold look far rougher than it was._

_Bulma cowered back, her lip trembling. She only wanted to show off her dress and see her prince again. She hadn't meant to make a fool out of Vegeta and he looked angrier than ever. He tugged on her wrist and led her back to the back room where most of the slaves were resting or waiting to be called. Vegeta released her wrist. Bulma grabbed a cloth and offered it to him. Vegeta took the cloth, dabbing away some the whiskey._

" _Vegeta, I'm sorry about spilling your drink. I didn't mean to embarrass you at the meeting and-"_

_The press of Vegeta's lips against hers silenced Bulma. Vegeta's tail whipped languidly behind him. He wrapped his arms around Bulma's frame, deepening the kiss. She moaned into his embrace, clutching at his chest armor. The prince pulled away, ignoring the looks of the slaves walking past. He scoffed. As if he needed to care what they thought of him. The only one that mattered was the woman before him._

_Bulma chuckled, smiling up at Vegeta, "So I guess you're not mad about the drink."_

_He smirked in return, "I didn't know you were so clumsy."_

_Bulma swatted his arm playfully, "Oh shut it."_

_Vegeta dragged his cheek against hers, releasing a quiet grumble from his throat. It was that almost purr he seemed to emit lately when pleased. A sharp nose trailed down her throat and the expands of her collarbone. Raditz peered around the corner, but kept his distance. He had hoped Vegeta's reaction at the table had been a fluke, but it was obvious that the human woman was special to him. He watched his leader's actions with a knowing frown._

" _He's scent marking her too. Not good," Raditz murmured._

_Growing bold, Bulma nibbled on Vegeta's bottom lip. He gave an appreciative grunt and another bruising kiss. The prince's nose then gazed over Bulma's like an Inuit kiss before his eyes focused on her once more._

" _Did I hurt you? Your wrist is fine?" Vegeta murmured._

_Bulma shook her head, rubbing her wrist, "I'm fine. You just worried me. What was that display about just now?"_

_Vegeta expression turned serious, "It isn't safe for you here so just stay out of sight. Don't fight me on this. I'll explain later."_

_His lips ghosted across hers and Vegeta pulled away. He had been gone too long. Any longer and Zarbon was sure to grow suspicious. Vegeta stepped back and pulled together his serious demeanor again. He walked to the door, but stopped short. Vegeta turned back with a lusty glint in his eye._

" _I'll see you tomorrow. Wear this dress again. I like it on you."_

_Vegeta turned the corner sharply and nearly bumped into Raditz. Raditz jumped back, scratching his head._

" _Prince, I came to retrieve you. Zarbon may get suspicious by a longer absence," Raditz explained._

_Vegeta folded his arms with a scowl, "Then why are you here instead of keeping him busy?"_

_Raditz didn't respond to that question, but began to walk away, "My apologies. I will return to the table, but I recommend you go to the washroom, my prince. You have a distinct perfume on you and her lipstick is still staining your skin."_

_Vegeta looked in a nearby mirror and blushed at the evidence of Bulma's kisses. He hastily wiped his mouth. The prince looked up to bark at Raditz to keep his mouth shut, but the other Saiyan was already gone. Sighing, Vegeta headed to the wash area. He needed to regain control if even Raditz was catching on to his behavior._

* * *

" _Prince Vegeta, are you busy?"_

_Vegeta looked up from his bed and glanced at his clock. He hadn't requested Bulma; she was still working a cleaning shift. He beckoned her inside and Bulma entered. Her scent was mixed with the slight scent of artificial lemons so she must have just finished cleaning. Bulma crawled on the bed and stretched her limbs. Vegeta rubbed her back._

" _I wasn't expecting you for a few more hours," Vegeta commented, playing with the straps of her tank top._

_Bulma rolled to her side with a somber look, "Zarbon requested me."_

" _What?" the color drained from Vegeta's face._

_Bulma sat up, pulling her knees to her chest, "I mean he doesn't look as bad as other clients I've had, but…"_

" _You don't know what you're talking about! Tell him no!" Vegeta barked, slamming a fist on his nightstand._

_Bulma softened her expression, clutching his cheeks, "Vegeta, you know I can't. I just don't have that power to-"_

_Vegeta grabbed her wrist and tightened his grip, "Dammit Bulma, do you like this shit? Tell him no!"_

" _Stop, you're hurting me," Bulma whimpered out._

_Bulma winced and Vegeta noticed his iron grip on the woman. He released her instantly and Bulma massaged her wrist. Vegeta gave a guilty glance at the reddening bruise and turned away. She was strong and yet so fragile. Lately, it seemed like all he did was hurt her. Bulma spoke again._

" _I can't refuse the request. I tried to remind Pilaf that I was exclusively yours, but it would seem that Zarbon's authority outweighs even yours. As long as I'm a slave here, there's nothing I can do. I just wanted to see you before," Bulma admitted softly._

_Vegeta mulled over her words. He wanted to protect her. He needed her to be safe, though he couldn't explain why. The dinner with Zarbon had been uneventful after he'd left Bulma. The diplomat had even taken another woman to his bed. He'd killed her and filled Vegeta in on every detail in the morning. Vegeta bore through the story, keeping his face neutral. No one cared. It was just another slave lost to the cruelty of space. If one had the money, they could do anything they wanted to the women, including kill them. Vegeta couldn't let that happen to Bulma, but he had no power and she had no choice. Not while she was a slave._

_Vegeta's scouter began to buzz. Without checking, he turned on the scouter._

" _What?" Vegeta barked, "Nappa, I don't need you bothering me right now or ever for that matter!"_

" _Vegeta, watch your language with me," Frieza snipped on the other line, "I am not one of your mindless subordinates."_

" _Lord Frieza," Vegeta stuttered out, shooting out of his bed._

_Bulma watched the color leave Vegeta's face the longer Frieza spoke to him, though it was hard to make out most of the tyrant's words. It was something about Zarbon becoming a general of the Frieza Force. Vegeta's efforts to dissuade were doing little other than irritating the alien._

" _Vegeta, enough! I have made my decision and that is absolute. You will behave. Smart mutts know when to stop barking. Of course, a smart Saiyan is just as rare as a legendary super Saiyan, isn't it?" Frieza answered with a cutting laugh._

_Vegeta balled his fists, but didn't lash out. He knew all that was at stake. Frieza used his silence as an opportunity to further insult the prince._

" _Your ineptitude to carry out even the smallest of tasks is only overshadowed by your guileless belief in your stupid golden monkey. I beckon you to act as if you possess some class and you barely managed to do that. Zarbon informed me that you were less than a preferred dinner guest. Thankfully, he remained open to a merger so you aren't completely hopeless. Say thank you for my compliment," Frieza hissed._

_Vegeta's tail curled pitifully between his legs. He shut his eyes, grunting out the words, "Thank you."_

" _Thank you what?"_

" _Thank you, Lord Frieza," Vegeta mumbled, casting an ashamed look toward Bulma. He hated that she was in the room for this._

" _Good little monkey. With the right threats, you're even more obedient than your father. I had to discipline him yet again, but no matter. Broken bones heal in time. I expect the both of you to serve me until your dying breath."_

_Frieza ended his communication without another word. Vegeta didn't speak and the silence was stifling. Bulma took a step forward, intending to hug him when the room began to shake. Vegeta crushed the scouter and threw it across the room. Bulma thrusted herself on him._

" _Vegeta! Vegeta, stop or the whole place will come down!" Bulma begged._

_Vegeta quelled his power enough to stop the quaking, "I have to defeat him. He's taken everything from me, but… He's threatened to kill my father more times than I can count. I know he would and if he kills him-"_

" _Vegeta, you're shaking," Bulma whispered, taking his hands in her own._

_Vegeta fell silent and buried his face in the crook of Bulma's neck. She held him even as he continued to shake, stroking the back of his head. She felt him wrap his arms around her waist and the air cooled the wet tears Vegeta left on her shoulder._

' _He's crying?' Bulma thought sadly._

" _We work so hard for him, doing everything he asks and more," Vegeta continued, his voice cracking, "It means nothing to him. The blood on my hands, the people I killed and I still can't…I have to defeat him."_

" _You will, Vegeta," Bulma encouraged, kissing his forehead, "My strong, proud prince. Frieza's reign of terror will end. I know it and you'll be the one to do it."_

_Vegeta pulled back slowly, revealing his tear streaked face. Bulma smiled kindly and wiped a few stray tears before kissing his cheek. Vegeta tilted her chin up and placed a chaste kiss on her lips._

" _Bulma..." Vegeta's cheeks tinted pink and he couldn't look her in the eye without blushing more._

_Bulma glanced down at the clock and frowned, "Sorry, Vegeta. I have to get ready for tonight, but the moment I can get away, I will come see you."_

_Bulma broke away from the now catatonic man, giving his hands one last reassuring squeeze. She left the room silently. Vegeta sat at the foot of his bed in a cold sweat. He stood, allowing his body to stumble to a pace. He ended up in the lobby, staring at an interactive screen used for picking girls for the night. Vegeta checked over his shoulder and scrolled to a familiar face. Big, blue eyes stared back at him and Vegeta looked away. Even Bulma's picture was starting to make his heart pound. Vegeta quickly scrolled down and checked the numbers to rent her nightly, monthly, and even an exorbitant annual pass. The Saiyan needed to do this quickly, before he lost his nerve._

_Zarbon would hurt her. He HAD hurt her and now even Raditz was picking up on his erratic behavior, Vegeta reasoned. He had to cut his ties, for Bulma and himself. Vegeta was losing sight of his goal and his very dignity pining for the woman. His hand hovered over the small grey button marked '$2 million credits to release.' Vegeta clicked the button and swiped his card before he could justify keeping her any longer. He threw in an extra 10,000 credits with the demand that the money would be given to her. That should be enough for Bulma to live on and buy a craft to take her home. Vegeta exhaled sharply and staggered back as the weight of what he did barreled down on him. The prince didn't know how to feel. How could one feel both empowered and powerless? He had saved her, but had doomed himself. Vegeta made a beeline for Starlight's bar, hoping some whiskey would lift his spirits._

* * *

_Raditz roamed through the bar until he saw a familiar flamed hairstyle. A bartender waved him over. Raditz walked to the man that appeared to be hawk like in appearance, noting the broken tables and crushed glass on the floor._

" _Are you the Saiyan, Raditz?" the barkeep asked._

_Raditz nodded, "Yeah, you contacted me about the prince?"_

_The hawk man nodded and pointed to Vegeta, "Yeah, he's pretty messed up. He's calmed down considerably, but before he was picking fights with other customers. Ran most of them out and he can't settle his bar tab. He gave your information when he was a little more sober. Now he's just muttering something about #6810."_

_Raditz's frown deepened. The Saiyan could usually hold his liquor better than anyone. He'd never seen Vegeta drunk. On top of that, Vegeta was a minimalist. What was he spending his money on that he couldn't manage a one-night bar tab? Raditz grumbled, but slid his card to pay the tab. He walked over to the booth Vegeta was slumped in and tapped his shoulder. Vegeta swayed and gave Raditz a crooked smile._

" _Shit, if you're smiling at me, you must be completely wasted," Raditz chuckled, taking a seat in the booth, "Bartender said you fucked this place up. Why?"_

_Vegeta's smile ebbed away, "I lost #6810."_

_Raditz took his drink away and mulled over the number. Vegeta's eyes bore into the table and Raditz was pretty sure to whom he was referring. All the girls at Starlight had a unique number and Vegeta had recently taken a liking to only one woman._

" _Are you talking about that pretty Earthling?" Raditz asked._

" _Bulma. She's my mate," Vegeta slurred, "I had to lose her to save her."_

_Raditz ignored the last cryptic line and focused on his damning statement, "She's not your mate, Prince Vegeta."_

_Vegeta pondered Raditz's words. His glassy eyes met the other Saiyan's. Vegeta scratched his head and sighed._

" _She's not my mate," he conceded with a hiccup, "She will be though or she was going to be before Zarbon."_

" _Zarbon?"_

_Vegeta stood, but fell back in his seat. He glared down at the booth. An energy ball formed in his hand and Raditz grabbed him, pulling him up. He needed to get him back to his room or he was liable to burn the entire bar down._

" _Prince Vegeta, let's get you back to your room."_

_Vegeta grumbled an agreement, dissipating his energy. Raditz carried Vegeta back to his room. He plopped the warrior on the bed and gave him a glass of water. Typically the most responsible of the three, Vegeta had become nearly infantile in comparison with his usual conduct. Vegeta guzzled the water and gasped for air, before falling back in his bed._

" _Are you alright? I can get Bulma for you," Raditz offered, trying to gather information._

_Vegeta set the glass aside and shook his head, "She isn't at Starlight."_

_Raditz sat at the edge of the bed, "Where is she now? With Zarbon?"_

_Vegeta's eyes narrowed dangerously and he snarled, "He will never fucking touch her. I released her."_

" _Released? You spent your credits to free that Earthling?" Raditz asked, failing to hide his alarm._

_Vegeta nodded with a yawn, "To protect her."_

_Raditz could see the prince's volatile nature ease away more as sleep took hold. He didn't ask him anymore questions. He had gathered something was going on between the Saiyan and the Earthling. That was easy enough to understand from his heat, but a Saiyan's heat was a complicated thing. Yes, he had fucked the human relentlessly and had even asked her to mark him, but this was different. Everything up to this point had been sexual or at least for Vegeta's benefit. How did he benefit from letting this Bulma girl go? This went beyond mere lust or preference for the Earthling. He would protect her, even from himself. Raditz dreaded the talk they would have to have in the morning._

" _Maybe that human is supposed to be his mate. It kind of makes sense, but shit," Raditz groaned._

_The long haired Saiyan stood up and slid against the doorframe, blocking Vegeta from leaving. It didn't matter how drunk or sleepy Vegeta was; he would never condone Raditz or anyone else sleeping in his bed. He stretched out his legs, and tried to rest before day broke._

* * *

' _How did I get back here? I remember going to the bar, but everything else is a bit of a blur,' Vegeta thought, sitting up in bed._

_His head was pounding and the bright sun filtering through the shades hurt his eyes. Vegeta went to the window and pulled the curtains to obscure the light. He grabbed a bottle of water and painkillers for his headache. A snore brought his attention to the slumbering Saiyan on his floor. Vegeta kicked Raditz lightly in the leg._

" _Yo, Raditz. Wake up! Why are you sleeping on my floor?"_

_Raditz groaned, 'Shocker. The prince is grumpy in the morning.'_

_Raditz stood up and popped his back. Vegeta glared at his subordinate's nonurgent movements. He held his hand out towards Raditz's chest._

" _You have three seconds to explain yourself. Why are you in my room?"_

_Raditz held his hands up in defense, "I had to carry you back from the bar last night. You were pretty far gone. I only stayed to look out for you."_

_Vegeta lowered his hand with a hmpf, "Well as you can see, I am more than capable of taking care of myself. You can leave now."_

_Vegeta turned and started packing his belongings when he realized Raditz hadn't left his spot in the room. Vegeta faced the man again with a glower. Surprisingly, Raditz met his gaze head on._

" _Did you need something? I commanded you to leave," Vegeta said testily._

" _My mother once spoke to me on how my father courted her. She was going to mate another Saiyan, but once they met, my parents were inseparable. She said certain bonds cannot be broken or wished away."_

" _I don't care about your parents' dating habits!" Vegeta barked, "Why are you saying this?"_

" _Vegeta, you need to listen to me. This is important-"_

" _Oh? I need to listen to some third-class warrior?" Vegeta goaded, smirking at the beta male._

_Raditz snapped, "That tactic won't work with me. I've known you since we were children. Hell, I know you better than my own brother and I can handle your temper tantrums."_

_Vegeta glared at the ground silently. He couldn't remember all that had occurred the night before, but he remembered enough. If Raditz was talking to him about mating, Vegeta must have let his true desires slip. He must have said something he wouldn't even allow himself to say aloud sober._

_Raditz frowned, "Prince, these things don't go away. If the Earth woman is your intended-"_

" _Shut up, Raditz! You don't know anything!"_

" _I pay attention and I know more than you think. A few months ago, you didn't go on the mission with us, but there was fresh blood on your gloves and boots. You killed some patrons of Starlight then. There were rumors about you…and a woman."_

_Vegeta waved away his concerns, "I was in heat. My actions then, the reason you may have smelled a woman on me, were all due to my heat."_

" _That isn't true. Even in heat, you only chose one woman. We both know that it is customary to take multiple women unless your instinct won't let you. Besides, you try to cover it up, but I smell her on you all the time, even before you went in heat."_

_Vegeta's eyes blazed in rage, "Stop this madness. You do better as a clown than a detective, Raditz. I killed a couple bastards at Starlight. So what? You smell someone on me a couple times and suddenly I an destined for some mate? Don't make me laugh."_

_Raditz's own anger became a look of pity, "The clues started small, but it's too overwhelming to overlook. I thought something was up when you changed our missions. You took shorter missions and sent Nappa and I farther out so you could stay near Starlight's outpost and you spent most nights here. Then I saw the access card of Starlight you were hiding. Don't deny it. I saw how you acted toward the Earthling at dinner with Zarbon and when you were alone with her. You were scent marking her to keep other males away."_

" _So you were spying on me?" Vegeta growled, "That was nothing. I was only confirming that no one else had used her."_

_Bolder, Raditz continued, "When you were in heat, you had the Earthling mark you. How do you explain that, Vegeta?"_

" _How did you learn that?" Vegeta tried to keep his voice even, but it was apparent that he'd forgotten to hide a lot the more his relationship with Bulma deepened._

_Raditz noted the shift in his prince's tone, "I-I met her."_

" _What?"_

" _Pilaf called me to keep you from destroying his place and I met the little Earthling, Bulm-"_

" _Don't," Vegeta seethed, "Don't you say her name."_

_The air itself stung as Vegeta's raw power crackled around him. Raditz flinched back, concerned. He knelt, showing both his respect and disparity in rank with Vegeta. Perhaps he was crossing the line, but it was dangerous to let this go unchecked._

" _Prince Vegeta, I saw the woman donned in your royal colors and last night you called her your mate right before you explained how you freed #6810. I don't understand the hold she has on you, but she has changed you. I only speak on this because I do not want this woman to be your weakness-"_

" _Bulma is strong," Vegeta uttered before he could stop himself._

_His cheeks fired into a red hue at his admittance. Had he truly called Bulma his mate? Vegeta had never cared for mating. He always presumed he would mate whomever was the strongest Saiyan woman and sire a strong heir. Suddenly he had visions of Bulma grinning with a round belly, picking out their children's names. It was telling that the thought filled his chest with warmth instead of disgust. Vegeta pushed the daydream from his mind and regarded Raditz once more. He hadn't denied what the Saiyan had said or refuted in any way. Raditz had a look that Vegeta couldn't quite place. Acceptance? Raditz didn't seem disgusted by the prospect of a human being princess of Planet Vegeta. Vegeta would never tell him, but his acceptance relieved him at a time when he could not identify his own wishes._

_Instead Vegeta answered, "This conversation is over. You will tell no one of it."_

_Raditz nodded with a slight smile, "I'll keep your secret."_

_The older Saiyan left, leaving Vegeta with his thoughts. Raditz said he'd keep his secret, but he didn't even know the half of it. He couldn't have understood what the prince was thinking. Even Vegeta struggled to grapple with his feelings. Vegeta had spent most of his life as Frieza's slave. Now Bulma was free and Vegeta was forever bound to a new master._


	15. Chapter 15

**Love In Season**

**Chapter 15**

"Hey Vegeta! Would you mind if I upgraded your battle suit or at least update the colors? You haven't worn anything new in eight years, though I was glad when you got rid of those hideous shoulder pads," Bulma commented, holding up the armor.

Vegeta rolled his eyes, remarking, "Well we were in a war, not a fashion show."

Bulma laughed lightly at his response and passed the armor back to the Saiyan. Vegeta inspected the armor and tossed it aside. He prepared himself a cup of coffee and called Trunks to get ready for school.

"I don't care so much about the color, but I could use a suit with more durable material," Vegeta answered quietly.

Bulma set a plate of rolled omelets and bacon in front of Vegeta and nodded, kissing his cheek. Vegeta groaned softly and looked toward Trunks's room. He refused to let the boy see him looking so soft. Walking to her seat, Bulma stopped, clutching her stomach. Vegeta looked up from his plate at the sound of her whimpers.

"What is it?" He asked, rising.

"My stomach is in knots. I don't know why, but it just started cramping so badly," Bulma grunted, holding her side.

Vegeta smirked and attempted to pull her closer, "I think I have a remedy that could help."

Vegeta kissed her neck and wrapped his arms around her stomach when Bulma slapped his hands away. The prince stepped back with a snort. Bulma held up a hand to block him.

"Ugh, don't touch me!" Bulma snapped, "I don't want anyone grabbing me right now."

Trunks ran into the kitchen holding a piece of paper and hugged his mom, "Mom, I totally forgot to ask earlier, but will you sign this?"

Bulma pushed him away with a whimper, "Trunks, stop! I'm in a lot of pain and you two aren't making it any easier."

Trunks stepped back and frowned, watching his mother. His gaze moved to the grumpy prince sitting at the table. He tapped on Vegeta's shoulder, speaking softly.

"What's up with Mom?"

Vegeta sent another glare at the woman for rejecting him, "I don't know why she's in such a pissy mood suddenly. She said something about her stomach hurting."

Trunks nodded sympathetically, "Oh I see. Yeah, Grandma says women can get like this when Aunt Flo comes to visit. I don't really get it 'cause Grandma is an only child and I only have Aunt Tights, but every couple of months Mom gets really grumpy and just wants to eat chocolate in bed."

Vegeta listened to the child, understanding the euphemism. Bulma had waddled to a chair, slowly lowering herself to sit comfortably. She did look as if she were in pain. Vegeta stood in front of her with a frown and folded his arms. Bulma caught his eyes, sending a mild glare.

"What? I'm not in the mood, Vegeta."

"Woman, I don't appreciate your tone simply because your ovaries are bothering you," Vegeta snipped.

"Excuse me? You have no idea the pain I'm in and I don't appreciate your tone, Prince Asshole!"

Trunks held up his paper, "Mom, please…"

"I've been punched through the chest. I doubt it is worse than that," Vegeta countered with a haughty smirk.

Bulma lifted herself, wincing slightly, "My cramps are a pain only second to childbirth so shove it!"

Even in pain, she refused to be pushed around. It was a trait the prince loved in her. Vegeta pressed his palm on Bulma's lower stomach before she could protest. His hand began to glow a pale yellow as the warmth of Vegeta's energy encompassed her. The heat provided just enough relief for Bulma to stand upright.

"That should relieve you just enough to get to bed and quit complaining," Vegeta explained, pulling back his hand.

Bulma touched her stomach, marveling at the warm power still coursing through her, "Thank you, but you could have been nicer about it. You know what, Vegeta? Sometimes you are such a selfish, arrogant jerk and another thing-"

Vegeta had simply rolled his eyes at the start of her nagging, but her emotional fluctuations were wearing him thin already and he roared, "Will you shut up and go back to bed?"

Bulma's lips trembled a moment before her rage took hold again, "Fine! How about this? You never have to hear another word from me. I'll just shut up and suffer in silence."

"You promise?" Vegeta quipped, smirking.

Bulma marched to her room, glaring daggers at the insensitive Saiyan, "Yes, master! Your wish is my every command; ugh! You're such a jerk!"

"Then I WISH you would stop your incessant yelling!"

"I'm so sorry my pain annoys you so much. Whatever, I'm tired of arguing with a grade A asshole!" Bulma concluded with a fold of her arms.

"Mom," Trunks gasped, looking nervously at the hot-tempered duo.

Vegeta simply smirked, goading her, "You don't seem to be lacking in energy the way you're throwing a hissy fit."

"Oh my god, bite me!" Bulma shouted, slamming her door.

Vegeta massaged his temple, "Insufferable harpy."

Still, Trunks noticed the brief, but amused smile the prince held before he noticed the boy's gaze. He replaced the smile with a practiced frown and returned to the table. He scarfed down the rest of his food and sighed, looking at Trunks, "What does she like again? Maybe if she gets it, she can work without so much attitude."

"She likes chocolate, ramen, and strawberry ice cream," Trunks offered, ignoring the change in Vegeta's demeanor, "Um, could you sign this? I don't really want to ask my mom again."

Vegeta held up the paper, flipping it from side to side. Trunks pulled out a pen. He handed the pen to Vegeta and grabbed a few slices of omelet toast his mom left for him.

"It's a permission slip," Trunks said between bites, "I need a guardian to sign it for our field trip to the zoo."

Vegeta scrawled his name and contact information over the guardian section and handed it back to the boy. Trunks wiped his mouth clean from his breakfast and tucked the paper in his backpack. He gave the prince a shy smile. Vegeta looked over at the boy with a grunt.

"What?"

"Um, could I have money for lunch and maybe some souvenirs?" Trunks asked with hopeful eyes, scuffing the floor with his sneakers.

"Just take your lunch," Vegeta said as he capsuled his own lunch.

Trunks whined, "All the cool kids buy those bento boxes at the zoo though. Plus it's my first time going and I want to get something for Mom too."

This was a waste of Vegeta's time. He had better things to do, like train. He pushed a handful of bills in Trunks's hand. Trunks grinned and stuffed the money in his pocket, thanking the Saiyan profusely.

"Here, whatever. Now leave before you're late," Vegeta grumbled, "You and your mother will be the death of me."

* * *

Bulma heard the front door shut. She pulled the bed covers up to her chin and clutched her heating pad tighter. She felt like a jerk, snapping on her family because she wasn't feeling well. A slight knock at the door echoed in her room before Vegeta poked in his head. He held a bowl of strawberries with a bar of chocolate.

"That ramen you like is in the cabinet. I'm going to train. Trunks had me sign something about a zoo and he won't be back until late too," Vegeta said, passing the food to her.

Bulma tucked a lock of hair behind her ear guiltily, "Thank you, Vegeta. Sorry, I got a little carried away."

Vegeta flicked her forehead playfully, "Yeah, well see that you don't make a habit out of it. Use my scouter if you need something."

Bulma pouted as Vegeta turned to leave and grabbed his hand. Vegeta stopped and turned back, brows hunched in confusion. Bulma's cheeks flushed a moment. She tugged Vegeta down to her eye level and pursed her lips against his.

"You didn't give me a goodbye kiss," Bulma explained, pulling back after a moment.

Vegeta rolled his eyes, but gave her a proper kiss, "You really are an insufferable woman."

* * *

"Mom!" Trunks called, opening the front door.

The penthouse was devoid of most light. Except for a few discarded ramen packages, there was no sign his mother had left her bed all day. Trunks hoped that meant Bulma was well-rested and in a better mood. He ran into the living room and kitchen, searching for his mother until he heard her muffled calls from her bedroom. Trunks opened the door with a smile.

"Mom, are you feeling better?" Trunks asked, sitting at the foot of her bed.

"Hey, welcome home sweetie. I'm sorry about earlier."

Trunks smiled and asked, "Are you and Prince Vegeta still mad at one another?"

"Oh no, we made up," Bulma answered sheepishly, "How was the zoo?"

The boy's blue eyes glowed an electric hue, "It was super fun! We got to be honorary zookeepers and everything!"

The young Saiyan pulled out a phone and camera to show his mom some of the shots he took of the animals. Bulma sat up in bed and scrolled through the pictures. She smiled and turned the phone towards Trunks.

"Oh, this is a cute picture of you and Mai, sweetie," Bulma teased.

Trunks's face turned red and he swiped the phone back, "Come on. Stop Mom."

The front door shut. Vegeta walked in the living room, sweaty and half naked. He made a beeline for the kitchen and grabbed a Capsule Corp. branded bottle of water. He guzzled the beverage down before taking a towel and wiping the excess sweat away. He could hear light chattering and before long, Trunks ran into the room and tugged on his wrist excitedly. The prince allowed the child to lead him back into Bulma's room. Bulma greeted him with a shy smile. Her eyes fell to the water bottle.

"Oh how was the water? Father had it vapor distilled with electrolytes added to be more refreshing. I brought some back. I hoped it would help you rejuvenate faster after your rigorous training sessions," Bulma commented sweetly.

Vegeta shrugged, watching Bulma carefully, "It's fine. You're in a better mood."

"Yeah, about earlier. Sorry again Vegeta, but I'm all better thanks to you," Bulma mumbled, biting her bottom lip.

Vegeta fought back a blush at her tender display and motioned to Trunks, "Did you just get home? It's late."

Trunks fiddled with his pictures, "Yeah, I walked one of my classmates, Mai, home. I didn't think it was a big deal since it's the weekend."

Bulma pinched his cheeks with a giggle, "Aw look at my gentleman of a son. I'm sure your girlfriend appreciated that."

Trunks pushed his mom's hands away with red cheeks, "She's not my girlfriend!"

Bulma laughed again and held her hands up in defense, "Okay, okay."

Vegeta folded his arms, ignoring Bulma's teasing. He noticed Trunks's backpack filled with items. Trunks followed his gaze and pulled out his presents. He gave Bulma a small stuffed monkey. Vegeta cocked his head to the side.

Bulma hugged the stuffed animal, "Thank you, Trunks."

Trunks beamed, "I know monkeys are one of your favorite animals. I got you something from the zoo too, Prince Vegeta, and I took lots of pictures!"

Trunks dug through his bag and pulled out a mug decorating with lions, tigers and other predators of the wild. Vegeta took the gift, inspecting it with his hand. Trunks proceeded to hand the adults candy and chips he'd bought on the trip.

"I got you the mug for your coffee since you drink it every morning and all the animals on it are really strong like you! I got you extra chocolate for your tummy too, Mom," Trunks explained.

Vegeta grunted a thanks and set the mug on the nightstand. He tore open a bag of chips, munching contently. Bulma swung her legs over the side of the bed. She stood and stretched tentatively, checking to make sure she wasn't cramping.

"Well it's a little late to prep dinner so how about pizza tonight?" Bulma offered.

Trunks jumped up and down, cheering. He ran into the kitchen and pulled out frozen pizzas. The adults followed him in the room. Though Vegeta hadn't spoken, he began to preheat the oven and Trunks assumed he liked the idea.

"After the pizzas cook, can we all watch a movie? Together?" Trunks asked, lighting up.

His blue eyes were trained on Vegeta. Vegeta huffed, folding his arms. Bulma smiled at him and gave the man a slight nudge.

"You're pushing your luck, kid," Vegeta complained with his trademark scowl.

"Now that sounds like fun. We can make some actual use out of that TV in the living room. After you take a shower, of course. You stink," Bulma teased, waving a hand in front of her nose.

"What woman? You expect me to smell like a flower?" Vegeta fired back.

Bulma laughed, "Well it's better than smelling like garbage. Seriously, I saw some cologne in your room; use it."

Vegeta huffed again. He held his mild glare at Bulma as he stuffed his pizzas of choice into the oven. Trunks pouted as the man began to walk out the room until he heard Vegeta's parting words.

"Whatever. Trunks, you better have picked an interesting movie by the time I wash up."

* * *

Bulma snuggled into Vegeta's side, taking the liberty to wrap Vegeta's arm around her waist. Vegeta looked down at the contact curiously. The pretty scientist smiled.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Bulma asked.

"Earlier you didn't want to be touched and now you're all clingy. You're such an enigma," Vegeta responded.

Bulma placed the palm of Vegeta's hand on her stomach, "I took some medicine so I'm not in as much pain. Hey! Can you do that thing where your hand glows?"

"Where's that heating pad of yours?" Vegeta asked, folding a large slice of pizza to eat.

"Vegeta, please? You felt so much better," Bulma pled, hugging his arm.

Vegeta rolled his eyes at her childlike nature, but acquiesced. He moved his pizza to his non-dominant hand and finished his first slice in three bites. His hand emitted a soft warm light. Bulma snuggled into the warmth, breathing deep.

"Mmm, I see you took my advice about the cologne. You smell so good," Bulma whispered in his ear.

The Saiyan released an involuntary shiver to Bulma's delight. Trunks ran into the room and plopped on the couch besides Vegeta. He noticed the prince's arm around his mom's waist. He didn't really understand it; the prince didn't really like being that close to anyone. He didn't even like getting high fives from Goku. Bulma seemed content with her pampering, nibbling on popcorn. Vegeta looked over and recognized the young child's intrigued expression.

"What are you looking at, squirt?"

"Are you guys ok? You're acting all lovey dovey now and stuff," Trunks voiced.

Vegeta jerked his hands away from Bulma's waist. Bulma glared at the Saiyan. She gave him a light shove, though Vegeta failed to budge even an inch. He met her look with a glare of his own.

"What was that for, Vegeta? I asked you for just one thing! I slave and slave over the countless inventions you break without remorse. I ask you for one thing and you get offended at just the thought that we could be together? You wish you were lucky enough to have a beautiful, smart, kind-hearted woman like me-"

Vegeta barked out a laugh, "I'll give you the first two, but kind-hearted? You're more devious than me."

Bulma stuck her tongue out as Trunks watched the two intently again. Even as his mom fired off her words, the prince seemed to take them in stride. He continued a bit of ribbing, but it held no malice. Trunks scratched his head. They were going back and forth, but it didn't feel like arguing; it was more like a sparring of words. In fact, it almost looked as if the Saiyan was enjoying himself. He held the same half smile he had the night Bulma saw Vegeta and Trunks training. Vegeta caught the boy's stare again.

"Staring again? You should look less at me and more at that marinara splattered on your cheeks!" Vegeta teased.

Trunks touched his cheek lightly and groaned, blushing, "I thought I wiped all of it off."

Bulma laughed and passed Trunks a napkin, "Now what did you pick for us, Trunks?"

Trunks scrubbed his cheek and held up a DVD of his choice, beaming, "Karate Bear! It's full of action and fighting, but it's funny too! Prince Vegeta, once you see this, I know you'll want to watch the other two movies they made!"

Bulma covered her mouth to hold in her amusement. She couldn't wait to see Vegeta's reaction to the silly cartoon movie. She doubted the surly Saiyan would last long. Vegeta noted her snickering at the boy's choice, but kept quiet. He simply made himself comfortable on the couch. His arm wrapped around Bulma's waist once more. She sighed as she felt the warm buzz of his ki against her stomach. Trunks held in his grin and put his DVD in to play.

"This panda is ridiculous. You can't eat the bamboo and fight with it. He's just as clueless as Kakarot," Vegeta commenting offhandedly.

Trunks's smile was bright, nearly incandescent, "Just keep watching; it's going to work!"

Bulma chuckled, watching her two guys. The movie was one of Trunks's favorite so she'd watched her fair share. It was fascinating to watch her son explain the plot of something so silly to the ever serious conqueror. She held in her laughter as she listened to Vegeta tear apart the protagonist's battle strategy, missing the humor in its entirety. As the movie neared its ended, Trunks talked Vegeta through the movie's point and offered to play the sequel.

"Fine, but I hope you know that battles are not won using anything other than pure strength and will. It has nothing to do with the 'power of friendship' or whatever that animal was jabbering about," Vegeta said, reaching for Bulma's popcorn.

Bulma was so shocked by the prince's more agreeable nature, she didn't even think to tease him about getting his own snacks. Trunks played the movie, engrossing himself in the film. Every so often he would glance over at the adults to make sure they were watching until he heard a gentle snore. Trunks slumped in the couch, a little deflated.

"No fair. They both fell asleep?" Trunks murmured, standing up to turn the movie off.

He cut off the TV and sighed, turning to the adults again. Trunks watched the two sleep, awestruck and curious. He walked toward them, careful to avoid hitting the table or causing any noise. Bulma had a slight smile on her face and Vegeta's usual frown lines had melted away as he slumbered. His hand still shot out low pulses of ki and Trunks was surprised by his mentor's great ki control even when he was sleeping. Tucked under Vegeta's chin, Bulma snuggled into his chest. In turn the Saiyan's tail curled along her upper calf. They looked so comfortable together and so peaceful. In fact, they looked really good together. The wriggling thought fortified itself into a mantra, replaying in the demi-Saiyan's head. A hesitant smile tugged at Trunks's lips as he slipped out the room. The boy tip toed to his room and pulled out his spare blanket. Trunks flung the blanket over the prince and his mom, casting one last look at the two. Part of him wanted to crawl beside them and sleep too, but Trunks feared his disturbance would ruin the moment. He'd never seen the prince off guard like this. Instead, Trunks slipped away to his room with a tired smile.

* * *

Vegeta awoke to Bulma's quiet snore in his ear. He stretched slightly and looked down at the blanket covering their forms. A blush stained his cheeks before he shoved the embarrassment down. The proud warrior threw off the blue blanket adorned with trains. It was bad enough that Trunks had wrapped him in such an humiliating item. Between the blanket and the movie from the night before, Vegeta had never felt so soft. He was not going to let Bulma see that as well. The sudden movement cause Bulma to stir. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, seeking out Vegeta's warmth. He checked the time. His eyes widened at the clock flashing 11:00 am.

"Fuck, it's that late in the day?" Vegeta cursed.

Bulma sat up, raking her fingers through her hair. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and leaned against Vegeta, hooking her arm in his. Vegeta's ears twitched at the sound of Trunks playing in his room and dislodged Bulma's arm. Normally, she would have protested or at least pouted, but overall Vegeta had been surprisingly accommodating. Bulma shrugged and pecked Vegeta's cheek. She folded up the train blanket.

"Trunks!" Bulma called, "Did you eat breakfast?"

The noise from his bedroom ceased and Trunks ran into the room, "Oh, you guys are up! I had cereal for breakfast."

Vegeta walked past the two, heading straight for the kitchen. He opened the cabinets and refrigerator before slamming it.

"I'll have the staff prepare something," Vegeta muttered, turning slightly.

Bulma had walked into the kitchen, humming softly as she brewed a pot of coffee. She motioned to the pot and Vegeta nodded. Trunks, bright-eyed as ever, hopped on the countertop. He kicked his legs slightly and pointed to the coffee.

"You guys always drink that stuff. Is it good? Can I have some?"

Bulma ruffled his hair with a laugh, "It's more of a grownup drink, but how about some hot chocolate instead?"

Trunks nodded and Bulma began to pull out a couple hot chocolate packets. Vegeta placed their lunch order and grabbed the mug Trunks had gifted him.

"We're training today so I hope you're ready," Vegeta announced, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Bulma passed Trunks his drink. Trunks blew the hot chocolate and sipped slowly. He finished the drink and placed his cup in the sink.

"I'm ready whenever you are, Prince Vegeta!" Trunks replied.

* * *

Vegeta checked his scouter for the time and called Trunks from his room. Bulma chuckled at his gruff tone and pulled Vegeta into a hug. Vegeta stiffened, checking to see if the boy would walk in suddenly.

"Chill out, Vegeta. You're always so uptight," Bulma cooed, trailing a finger along his pecks, "I'm surprised Trunks doesn't completely cower around you."

Vegeta folded his arms to create a little space and looked away with a sulk, "You only think that because you coddle him. I'm teaching the boy to be tough. It's a hard world to live in; we both know that."

Bulma sighed with a slight smile and shook her head. She moved away from the prince and sauntered over to a pile of inventions. She sat at the kitchen table and began tinkering. Trunks poked his head out from his room. He walked into the kitchen and glanced over at Vegeta. The older Saiyan stalked over to Bulma.

"You're just working on that now? It's nearly 10 at night!" Vegeta griped.

Bulma pulled on a pair of goggles and gloves as she pried a sheet of metal from a prototype, "I had an idea. I won't be long. I'll probably even be asleep by the time you two come back."

"Doubtful," Vegeta muttered; his brows creased with care, "You're always overworking yourself."

Trunks giggled and covered his mouth. Vegeta turned to him in question. Trunks fastened his belt and approached.

"Why were you laughing," Vegeta asked.

"Mom is a workaholic, but that's what she says about you and your training. I just think it's funny that you worry over each other when you do the same things."

Vegeta's eyes softened slightly, hiding a smirk, "Let's go."

* * *

The Saiyan prince surveyed the gravity chamber of his training room, admiring Bulma's workmanship. He'd released a few light ki blasts and the metal hadn't even singed. Trunks watched him, following his teacher to the center of the room. Vegeta settled into his fighting stance and beckoned Trunks to hit him.

"Before we formally begin our training, I want to gage how strong you have become at your base level. Your task will be to deliver two punches. Come at me and don't hold back."

Trunks nodded, readying himself for battle. He balled his fists and jumped at the Saiyan. He phased out a moment and reappeared inches from Vegeta's face to deliver a punch. Vegeta blocked the blow with his hand, pushing Trunks back. The half-Saiyan flew back toward him. Trunks swung his leg hard for a kick, but Vegeta blocked the leg with his wrists. Unperturbed, Trunks released a yell and shot a ki blast point blank in Vegeta's face. Vegeta staggered back, giving Trunks just enough time to land a left hook, then a right. Trunks flew back a few feet, grinning.

"I did it! I actually landed a punch," Trunks cheered.

Vegeta rubbed his jaw where the boy's fists had connected, "That was a dirty move for you, firing off a ki blast like that."

Despite his words, Trunks could hear the pride in his voice, beaming, "Well, you always say there's no fair in battle, only winning or losing and I'm not gonna lose."

Vegeta returned his grin and cracked his neck to relax his muscles. He walked up to Trunks, inspecting the young Saiyan's hand. Vegeta took extra care checking over Trunks's right hand, careful not to hurt his arm.

"Your right hook is good, stronger than your left. Was that the arm Nappa broke?" Vegeta asked.

Trunks nodded, "Yeah, it is. I noticed that too. Hey! If you break my other arm, my strength would be twice as strong in half the time!"

Vegeta's eyes darkened at the suggestion, "Trunks, don't ever say or think that again!"

"I just thought-" Trunks uttered softly.

Vegeta didn't know what had him angrier, the fact that his protégé had requested that he hurt him or the fact that Trunks attempted to gain strength the easy way, "If you left arm is weaker then you will train twice as hard to build your strength in that arm. Understood?"

Trunks gulped with a nod, "Yes sir!"

Vegeta regarded him with another hard look until he noticed the boy shaking slightly. Bulma's words filtered back to his mind to "chill out" as she put it. Vegeta grit his teeth before cursing under his breath. He inhaled and then exhaled before looking down at Trunks once more. Vegeta refused to apologize for his temper, certainly not to a child, but internally he agreed to soften his approach ever so much. Vegeta patted Trunks's head, tousling his lavender locks in the process.

"Trunks, you did well. You managed to land two blows in a short period of time and that will serve you well in battle. As your reward, I'm going to teach you a new technique, my Lucora gun," Vegeta stated.

"Lucora Gun?" Trunks asked in awe, tugging on a light set of arm and leg weights.

Vegeta nodded, "If you recall the last time you attacked me with a barrage of ki blasts, you completely wore yourself out. The reason was your poor release. You give too much energy in each blast and that defeats the point of the move."

Vegeta gave a demonstration, releasing his ki in short, sharp bursts. The blasts eviscerated a pile of already broken drones.

Trunks's eyes widened in recognition of the attack, " So cool! I could never figure out how you shot so quickly! Will I get to learn all your cool moves?"

Vegeta walked to the edge of the room, "Many of them, yes. Well, at least you will if you can keep up. I didn't like Nappa's tactics, but that oaf did have one point. Broken arm or not, you're too strong to have been beaten by some mindless Saibamen."

"I know. They just startled me," Trunks mumbled, "It won't happen again though."

Vegeta crouched into a seated position, "See that it won't. Now come here."

Trunks walked up to the sitting Saiyan, "What about your Galick gun? Can I learn that one too? It's my favorite."

Vegeta shook his head, "Only those in my bloodline can use the Galick gun."

Trunks's smile faltered. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, scuffing the floor with his shoe. Vegeta kept silent, but glanced at the now sullen child. He understood Trunks's disappointment, but he couldn't change that. Instead he pushed down his own complicated feelings to focus on his task.

"Oh ok," Trunks mumbled, "Maybe I could still try to-"

"Trunks," Vegeta spoke sternly, "Focus on the attack I'm teaching you now."

Trunks sighed, but nodded in agreement. Vegeta scrutinized his facial expressions. Vegeta pulled back his bangs slightly with a frown.

"Funny, you really don't look like him at all," Vegeta mumbled.

Trunks frowned mildly, cocking his head, "What? Who?"

Vegeta pushed the thought away, "It's nothing. Now let's begin."

* * *

"That's enough. You exert yourself anymore, you're liable to lose control and blow up the building."

Trunks collapsed on the ground, panting. Vegeta lifted him on his feet, but Trunks fell. His legs shook as he strained to stand.

"I think I might have overdone it," Trunks joked weakly, "I don't even think I could crawl now."

Vegeta smirked. His hand glowed a pale yellow as he transferred a little of his energy to Trunks. Trunks exhaled and rolled on his back, catching his breath. Vegeta chuckled at his antics and stood.

"Keep improving and I may make you my second in command," Vegeta complimented.

Trunks jumped up with renewed energy, "You mean it?"

Vegeta shrugged with a smile. He gestured to the half-Saiyan to follow him out the gravity machine. Trunks followed his hero to the living area of the training room. The prince pulled off his armor with Trunks following suit.

Vegeta retreated to the kitchen for water, "What do you want to drink?"

Trunks bounced lightly on Vegeta's couch and stretched, "Can I have a sports drink? Oh wait, no! Can I have one of the ice pops in there? Blue raspberry is my favorite."

"You want that crap at 2 in the morning?" Vegeta barked back, glancing at the clock.

Still Trunks could hear the freezer opening and he smiled. Vegeta returned with two water bottles and the ice pop. He broke the treat down the middle and passed Trunks his half. The demi-Saiyan grabbed the wooden ice pop stick and his drink. He sat next to Trunks and took a bite of the other ice pop.

"If you're going to have this frozen sugar, you at least need to drink pure water," Vegeta grumbled.

"Thank you," Trunks answered back, swinging his legs lightly.

Vegeta finished off the ice pop in three bites before guzzling down his water. Trunks trailed behind, enjoying the serenity that came after training. These made up his favorite times. Vegeta's ki still buzzed in the air and offset the normal chill that would occur when his body cooled down. This was the time the prince let his guard down the most. He spoke about missions, his old life on Planet Vegeta and would even teach Trunks a little Saiyan. Trunks still had trouble rolling his Rs the right way, but he was progressing. Minutes passed where neither spoke and the only sound in the room was the tic-tock of the clock. Trunks breathed deeply, casting a tentative look at the warrior. Vegeta's eyes slid to him as he felt the gaze.

"What is it?" Vegeta asked in a half groan.

Trunks chewed on his lip, "Why are you so mean to Nappa?"

That question puzzled the prince and he answered, "He's an underling and why do you care? He's mean to you."

Trunks sipped his water, avoiding eye contact, "I mean I know that, but I don't know… nevermind, sorry."

Vegeta set his water on his coffee table, "Ok, what's this about really because I know it's not about Nappa."

Trunks fiddled with the cap of his water bottle, thinking back to Raditz's advice, "I was just thinking, you know? About the Elite Saiyan Guard and space and everything."

"And?"

"Do I have to be so ruthless?" Trunks burst out suddenly, "I don't want to hurt people like that. I mean I want to protect people and I don't want to be pushed around, but…" Trunks kicked his feet against the couch and muttered, "Sorry, I know that isn't Saiyan like."

"No, it isn't," Vegeta agreed softly, "Not like most Saiyans anyway."

Trunks sunk in his seat at the man's words. He was proud to be a Saiyan or a half-Saiyan. He didn't want to hear Vegeta of all people telling him he didn't act like one. Vegeta stood up and threw the discarded ice pop sticks in the trash. He spoke as he scrolled through his scouter.

"You remind me of Tarble, my brother."

Vegeta passed the child his scouter with a holographic image of his brother. Trunks's eyes widened as he rushed to see the picture. It had to be a compliment to remind Vegeta of his brother, right? He was practically calling him royalty, Trunks reasoned. Despite all the books Trunks had read on the prince, he had never seen Tarble. The younger prince was never spoken of, often regulated to a sentence or two in the history books. Trunks couldn't hide his disappointment when he laid eyes on an unassuming man that resembled Vegeta, slender and scrawny for a Saiyan. Trunks slipped the scouter off and handed it back to Vegeta.

"Why do I remind you of him?" Trunks asked glumly, "He doesn't look strong at all."

Vegeta returned to his seat and stared ahead, "He isn't. He was banished by our father for being weak. He always had a naïve way of thinking, like a child. That's why you remind me of him. Don't let that type of thinking get you killed. I want to make you strong, but sometimes it won't be enough to be strong. You'll have to be ruthless, Trunks."

Trunks mulled over a question in his head, remaining silent. When he spoke again his voice was barely a whisper, "Maybe I can't. I try to be tough like you, but when I have to hurt someone… In the war, how did you- did you…hurt a lot of people?"

Vegeta sucked in a breath and exhaled with a huff, "I am a war hero. Did you think I received that title sipping tea with the enemy? I did more than hurt people. I killed them."

"Do you like doing that?" Trunks's small voice asked.

"Maybe I do," Vegeta sniffed, "It beats the hell out of answering the questions of a brat like you."

Trunks examined the prince carefully. He was around him enough to know when his words lacked bite. Vegeta held the boy's gaze and released an exasperated snort. He rubbed smooth the creases of his forehead.

"You want to know what it's like to kill someone? As you ready yourself to end a life, understand the gravity of your actions. Maybe screams haunt you at first, but soon the life of one or a thousand lives will make no difference to you. You can purge planets without a sense of remorse. To be a Saiyan, you must. To face a tormenter like Frieza, I had to abandon any lingering idea of mercy. You must not only snuff out that life, but any meaning the life represented."

Vegeta finished allowing his words to carry their weight in the air. He looked down Trunks, praying he understood. When Trunks met his eyes fully, the older warrior felt a chill. The boy's eyes were sharp and cold. His mouth settled in a grimace.

"How can you kill and it not mean anything? I don't believe it," Trunks retorted hotly.

Vegeta shook his head, "Killing is easy for someone like me. Most Saiyans are born into it, purging their first planet the moment they can walk and fly."

Trunks folded his arms with an angry pout, turning away from the fighter. Vegeta groaned, glaring at his mentee's more childish nature. Folding his own arms, Vegeta spoke again, relenting to a softer nature.

"It doesn't matter whether or not it affects you to kill someone. It's either them or you; that's what my father taught me and I learned the hard way when Frieza took me. I normally took my great ape form to purge, but Frieza sent me on a solo mission to a planet with no moons. It was kill or be killed so I killed first with my bare hands. I was five years old."

No longer angry, Trunks stared at Vegeta wide-eyed, "That's awful. Do you still remember a lot from back then?"

Vegeta trained his eyes somewhere distant, in a far-away gaze to a place Trunks couldn't see. For a moment, Trunks thought the prince hadn't heard him. When Vegeta spoke again, his voice was low with a forlorn timbre, yet reflective.

"The blood. The blood stained my skin for days, even weeks depending on the species. I couldn't get the blood from my nails and my fingers, no matter how hard I scrubbed…" Vegeta's words lingered in the air as he clenched his fists.

Trunks settled on the Saiyan's gloves as Vegeta gripped his fists. _'Is that why he wears those?'_

Vegeta ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "Do you understand now, Trunks? You have to be tough. This world requires it."

Trunks threw himself around Vegeta's waist, hugging him tightly. Vegeta froze under the demi-Saiyan's affection. He tugged the child away gently, but Trunks tightened his hold, clutching on to Vegeta's shirt.

"Why would they force a little kid to do that?" Trunks cried, muffled in Vegeta's shirt, "Frieza was wrong and so was your dad! You don't have to hurt people like that or yourself!"

Vegeta grit his teeth, looking down at his protégé. Trunks's voice was resolute in his conviction, a characteristic Vegeta admired. He still held an obvious naivety, but there was no harm in letting him keep that notion a little longer. Vegeta pulled him back, holding Trunks by his shoulders. Trunks's eyes were dotted in tears and his bottom lip trembled, but he held a look blazed in certainty and no one would convince him he was wrong. In these moments, Vegeta felt as if he were looking in a mirror.

"There are two moves I never use," Vegeta said, standing up from his seat.

"Why?" sniffled Trunks.

"For one attack, the person's body explodes from the inside out so use it when you want to make sure that person doesn't come back. The other is a kamikaze attack similar to the Saibamen and it means certain death for the user. Almost everyone has a line they don't cross. Only monsters don't," concluded Vegeta.

"And you're not a monster," Trunks reiterated with a slight smile.

Vegeta smirked, "Not today."

Satisfied with his answer, Trunks smiled fully, "I'm going to prove myself to you. I'll show you how powerful I can be without hurting innocent people!"

"Just…take care of yourself and take care of Bulma, " Vegeta chuckled, shaking his head, "As stubborn as your mother is, I should have expected you to have inherited that trait as well."

Trunks chuckled, scratching behind his head, "Yeah, Mom always makes sure to get what she wants. Thank you by the way, for giving her a job. Mom seems way happier since she got her new job, even if she is yelling a bit."

"A bit? She's nonstop," Vegeta responded, amused.

Trunks added sheepishly, "I mean she nags a lot, but I still love my mom."

"Your mother is feisty, but...I kind of like her feisty." Vegeta admitted before clearing his throat. "She's a fine woman, aside from her temper, that is."

Trunks watched the pink dust his cheeks. _'He's blushing?'_

"Hey, Prince Vegeta! Have you ever wanted a family?" Trunks teased; his dour mood lifted.

Vegeta's blush deepened; he stood and retreated to the kitchen, gulping down another glass of water before he muttered, "What are you going on about?"

"Come on! You could get married and have a kid as awesome as me!"

Trunks laughed, expecting a harsh rebuttal, but none came. Vegeta looked lost in thought. Slowly he gave the barest hint of a smile and murmured to himself, "I suppose that wouldn't be so bad."

Vegeta broke from his trance, "Alright, enough talking. I think its way past your bedtime. Let's head back to the room, brush your teeth and get lost."

Trunks fought away another wide smile. He doubted Vegeta would let him hug him again. Instead he followed the Saiyan back to the penthouse, bouncing all the way back. He wished the prince goodnight happily.

"Quiet down, Trunks. Your mother is probably asleep by now," Vegeta whispered as he opened his bedroom door.

Vegeta was surprised to see Bulma up and lying in his bed. Bulma slipped out the bed and wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck.

"I thought you would be sleeping," Vegeta said, kissing her forehead.

Vegeta lifted Bulma bridal-style and brought her out to their balcony. Bulma giggled, kicking her feet lightly before her lover set her down. She interlocked her fingers with Vegeta's as she leaned over the balcony, watching a few cars drive pass.

"You were right. I worked a little too long and I couldn't go to sleep," Bulma responded.

Vegeta ignored her sleepy eyes and nodded. The couple stood, breathing in the night air and watching the skyline glitter. Bulma cuddled into Vegeta's side, stroking his hand with her thumb.

"How was Trunks's training?"

Vegeta held a soft smile, though faint. He twisted his smile into a grimace and hoped Bulma hadn't seen him. That damn boy was definitely making him soft.

"Fine, Trunks is getting strong. He'll surpass some of our elites soon."

Trunks scrubbed his face with a facecloth and tossed the cloth on his sink. He returned to his room carrying the same lopsided smile he'd been wearing since he'd returned home. Trunks turned off his lights and moved to pull his window curtains and block the light out. He paused, noticing his mom on Vegeta's balcony. The curious boy pressed his cheek against the cool glass. He couldn't hear the two adults speaking, but watched their interaction in fascination. They were holding hands! Trunks saw them act strangely, even a bit affectionate, but nothing so conscious. They had fallen asleep together or shared a blush, but now they were acting like a real couple. Trunks grinned like a kid in a candy shop, determined that he was going to get his mom together with Prince Vegeta.

* * *

"Guess what! I think Prince Vegeta likes my mom!" Trunks blurted to Goten the moment the lunch bell rang.

Goten cocked his head to the side as the two walked to the cafeteria, "Are they really nice to each other?"

"Um, well actually they kind of yell a lot," Trunks answered a little deflated.

He perked back up, "But when my mom yells, Prince Vegeta actually does what she says and he doesn't do that with anyone! Plus Vegeta complimented my mom and said he liked her feistiness."

Goten stuck his thumb in his mouth, averting his friend's eager gaze, "I don't know, Trunks."

Trunks ran in front of Goten, holding his hands up frantically, "Wait, that's not even the biggest thing. Last night, I saw them out on the balcony and they were holding hands!"

Goten gasped, "Wow, that's serious. Wait, isn't your mom with Yamcha, though?"

"Yeah, but he hasn't even been around since she started working with Prince Vegeta. I just have to figure out a way to get them together somehow," Trunks wondered aloud.

The young boys sat at a table and unpacked their lunches. Trunks felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled out his phone to see a message from his mom.

_Hey Trunks. Yamcha wants to meet with Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma is going to be making dinner at our house, not Prince Vegeta's, tonight. Yamcha and I will there in the evening so be nice._

Trunks frowned and showed Goten the text. Goten placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his palms.

"I guess she still likes him," Goten commented.

"But she looks happier with Prince Vegeta," Trunks snapped, "If Mom could see them in the same room, she wouldn't even bother with Yamcha. I bet this is about their engagement. That guy won't take a hint!"

Goten shrunk back, focusing on eating his yakisoba noodles, "Maybe, but you should stay out of grownup stuff like that."

"If I could get them in the same room," Trunks ruminated, ignoring Goten's advice.

He bolted up, flashing a smile, "Tonight! I can have Prince Vegeta meet Grandpa since Grandpa owns part of Capsule Corp. Then it won't look weird if he comes over. I have to tell Grandma and Grandpa so they can get extra food."

Goten sighed and casted a sympathetic look at his friend, "Trunks, I don't know about this."

"It's going to work, Goten, I swear! I'll text you tonight and you'll see!"

* * *

"Prince Vegeta! Prince Vegeta," Trunks called out, walking through the penthouse rooms.

Vegeta poked his head outside of his room. Freshly clean from his shower, Vegeta used the towel around his neck to wipe the beads of water from his forehead. Trunks ran up to him, giddy.

"Prince Vegeta, do you have a suit? Like a fancy one?" Trunks asked.

Vegeta scratched his head and leaned against the doorframe, "Of course, I wear my suit every day. You know that."

Trunks chuckled, "No, I mean like the suits you see in magazines and tv."

"No, why are you asking?"

Trunks fiddled his fingers with a guilty grin. Vegeta's eyebrow lifted as he waited for an explanation.

"I thought it would be really good to meet my Grandpa. He's the other half of Capsule Corp. and he and my grandma are going to be at our house tonight for dinner. Mom will be there too."

Vegeta stared hard at the boy. It made logical sense that he would meet the senior Briefs scientist. It was Trunks's own urgency that gave him pause. The boy was plotting something. He thought of Bulma earlier in the day. She had been shifty and nervous, flitting around from room to room talking to herself. He'd discounted her nervous energy, blaming it on a new invention she hadn't perfected. Now the two events seemed linked.

"Your mother was acting odd earlier. Did that have anything to do with this dinner?" Vegeta asked watching the child intently.

Trunks nodded, "I think she was nervous about tonight. So will you come? Grandma makes great food too!"

Vegeta folded his arms, contemplative, "I could probably get some new machines from the meeting. Alright. Let's hurry before I change my mind."

* * *

"I feel so underdressed next to a prince, especially in that dashing suit," Panchy commented, taking a curtsy with her apron.

Panchy led the two Saiyans upstairs. Vegeta grunted, taking note of the many pictures of Bulma and Trunks hanging on the wall. Bulma's home was small, but well lived in. He could see her personality in every room of the home. Every room held a controlled chaos with gadgets tucked in every drawer and trinkets on every shelf. Vegeta walked pass a mirror and stopped to readjust his burgundy and black ombre tie. He had been skeptical about wearing a dark burgundy suit, preferring to wear his royal colors. However, after some convincing from Trunks, he chose differently and he had to admit the suit fit him as if it were tailor made. Smirking at his reflection, Vegeta moved to the hallway where Panchy was concluding his tour. He grabbed a picture framed of Bulma and Trunks as a baby. Panchy smiled and pointed to the frame.

"Oh I remember that day. We couldn't afford to give Trunks much then, but I found the cutest hat for him. His hair used to spike up as a baby, so we always had that little hat on our Trunksie," Panchy gushed, pinching Trunks's cheek.

Trunks rubbed his cheek, "Grandma, don't treat me like a baby in front of Prince Vegeta.

"Sorry honey. Oh! Go show Prince Vegeta your room, dear," Panchy clasped her hands, "I bet he'll get a kick out of it!"

"Grandma, no," Trunks muttered, cheeks reddening, sparing a glance at the prince.

She waved away the boy's concerns with a laugh. Panchy led the Saiyans to Trunks's room and pushed open the door. Splayed about were memorabilia of Vegeta everywhere. Posters adorned the wall, figures were cast about the room and hanging on the bed frame was a foam spiked head.

"What is all this?" Vegeta asked amused, walking around the bed.

He stopped and picked up an action figure and pressed a button on its chest.

"I'm the Prince of all Saiyans!" the toy proclaimed.

"Trunks has been such a fan of yours. He's always asking for one of your posters or toys," Panchy gushed, "I can only imagine his delight when he finally met you in person."

From the kitchen, a timer rang out, alerting that it was time to take the food out the oven. Panchy kissed Trunks's cheek before bidding the two goodbye to check on the food. Trunks wanted to melt into the floor. He wanted Prince Vegeta to think he was cool, not a dweeb. The prince walked around the room, inspecting the memorabilia fashioned after him.

"You are a total fanboy," Vegeta quipped, "I had no idea someone made dolls of me."

"They're not dolls, they're action figures," Trunks amended softly, setting one of his action figures on his shelf.

"Mom, Yamcha and I are here!" Bulma called from below.

Vegeta watched Trunks's mood darken. It was rare to see the kid in poor spirits, but when he scowled, he looked most Saiyan.

"What is it? What's got you in a bad mood?" Vegeta teased.

Trunks hopped on the edge of his bed, hugging his pillow absentmindedly, "I don't like Yamcha. Mom shouldn't be with him."

Vegeta smirked, "You think it's your place to tell her that?"

Trunks threw the pillow aside, grumbling, "He just hurts her. I don't like it."

Vegeta's expression hardened as he sat beside the half-Saiyan, "Hurt how?"

Trunks paused, taking note of his hero's imposing tone, "Not physically," Trunks added quickly, "He just flirts a lot with other girls and he's a cheater. Mom doesn't deserve that. I want her to be with someone different, someone like…"

The demi-Saiyan's fist balled tighter even as his nails dug into his palms.

' _I want her to be with you.'_

He couldn't say it. The words laid at the tip of his tongue, but it hurt too much to say out loud. Trunks shut his eyes as he struggled to rein in his emotions. He felt the bed rise as Vegeta stood.

"Is that the reason I'm here? I imagined there was another reason for your urgency and this annoying suit."

Trunks refused to make eye contact with him. His mouth settled into a stubborn pout. Vegeta picked up a miniature statue of himself and tossed it lightly in the air.

"Do they make more of these?" Vegeta asked instead.

Trunks looked up, "Um, there's Goku. Broly is popular too."

"Do you have any of Kakarot?" Vegeta asked and Trunks shook his head.

Vegeta smirked, "Good."

He handed back the toy and ruffled the young boy's hair. Vegeta sniffed the air lightly. The scent of roast alone had Vegeta salivating. Mrs. Briefs was far too talkative and bubbly for his liking, but if the smells were any indication, she was a genius in the kitchen.

"Smells like dinner is done. Let's go so I can see this Yamcha."

* * *

Bulma set the roast on the table and wiped her brow, "Thanks for cooking, Mom."

Panchy wiped a bit of flour on her white apron, "Oh, it wasn't a problem at all, dear. I'm grateful we could have this little soirée here since your father and I still have so much to do at Capsule Corp."

Dr. Briefs entered the room with Yamcha. The former baseball player took a seat at the dining room table.

"So what brought you out, Yamcha? It's been quite some time since Panchy and I saw you," Dr. Briefs commented as Panchy set down heaping bowls of rice.

Yamcha flashed a smile at the older scientist, "Well, Bulma and I have gotten serious and we think it time that-"

"Yamcha," Bulma interrupted, "Let's just wait until after dinner, okay? Trunks isn't even here yet."

"Oh, he's upstairs with his guest!" Panchy answered as she frosted her dessert.

Bulma took her place next to Yamcha, leaving a chair beside her for Trunks. She examined the table, giving a questionable look to her mother.

"Mom, why are there six places set at the table? Wait, who did you say came with Trunks?"

Trunks and Vegeta made their way down the stairs. Yamcha stiffened a moment in realization, but sat a little taller in his seat. He hung his arm around Bulma's shoulders, giving her a peck on her cheek. The action incensed Vegeta, who sized up Yamcha immediately. Oblivious to the tension in the room, Panchy clasped her hands.

"You're down just in time; the roast is done. I know how much Saiyans can eat so I popped another one in the oven just in case! In the meantime, take a seat!"

Bulma paled as she made eye contact with Vegeta, "Wha-What are you doing here?"

"To think our Trunks knows royalty," Panchy cooed, pouring Vegeta a cup of tea.

"I thought it would be appropriate to meet with Dr. Briefs. We have a contract after all. Coincidentally, he and your mother were in town. Lucky for me, isn't it?" Vegeta replied, grinning.

To her displeasure, Vegeta sat right next to Bulma, even scooting closer so Trunks could pull up a seat closer to the prince. Bulma stole a greedy look at Vegeta. She'd only seen him in blue or another royal color and he was often in his sweaty and spandex training gear. While those clothes certainly had its appeal, it felt like such a treat to see him in a tapered burgundy suit, barely concealing his ripped body. He was close enough for her to smell his cologne. The scent of whiskey and cedarwood invaded her senses. Bulma angled herself away stiffly. She just couldn't have herself drooling over the prince with Yamcha inches away.

Yamcha stood and walked over to Vegeta, holding out his hand. Vegeta scrutinized the appendage momentarily. He stood and took the hand firmly, nearly crushing Yamcha's hand in the handshake. Yamcha pulled away with a sharp cry, massaging his hand. Vegeta dropped his hand, feigning ignorance.

"Whoops. I always forget my own strength," Vegeta taunted.

Yamcha glared. He could see the playful glint in the Saiyan's eye and knew that display was no accident. Yamcha moved back to his seat with a smirk. Sure, he couldn't compete in terms of power, but two could play in the Saiyan's little mind game. Yamcha returned to his seat. He gave Bulma another kiss and Vegeta was glad that his suit obscured his bristling tail.

"You're actually smaller in person than I thought," Yamcha baited, taking a sip of tea.

Bulma elbowed him angrily, causing him to spill a bit of his drink; she hissed in his ear, "Don't cause any issues. In addition to having the power to wipe out the Earth, don't forget Vegeta is my boss!"

Vegeta smirked, hearing the male's challenge, "What was that?"

"Don't egg him on, Yamcha," Bulma reprimanded.

Yamcha gave Vegeta a mocking look, "I'm not! I just said he looks shorter in person."

"I'm sure he's big where it counts," Panchy remarked cheerfully, taking her seat.

The color drained from Bulma's face, "Mother!"

Panchy covered her mouth in a laugh, "I meant his heart, dear."

Dr. Briefs laughed and reached for his rice, "There's never a dull moment in this family, huh Trunks?"

Vegeta's own face reddened as he caught Panchy's innuendo. Bulma hid her face in her hands, muttering to herself. Trunks switched his attention between the adults with a bemused smile. He didn't understand the joke his grandma had made, but it seemed to have dissipated the tension.

Vegeta recovered and turned his attention back to Yamcha, "A short joke, huh? Is that supposed to bother me? I don't even know who you are."

"Vegeta please," Bulma said gently, placing a hand on his bicep.

Yamcha frowned, noting his girlfriend's softer demeanor as she coaxed out the Saiyan's more docile nature. He couldn't remember the last time she had spoken to him like that. Vegeta looked into her blue eyes and allowed their vibrant depths to wash away his anger and round out the edge in his voice. Yamcha pushed down his aggravation and cleared his throat. Noticing their eyes on her, Bulma dropped her hand abruptly and began to serve the roast her mother made.

Broken from his trance, Vegeta folded his arms with a scowl on his face, "You're lucky, Beta Male. I'm in a good mood so I'll excuse your comment, but watch yourself."

Trunks snickered, seeing Yamcha gawking at the prince's warning. Bulma frowned at her son and he stifled his laughter. As long as Prince Vegeta didn't get too heated, dinner would go exactly as the boy planned.

* * *

"Oh Mom! Did Trunks tell you about a certain girl in his class he likes? He's walked her home from school like such a gentleman," Bulma gushed as she finished the last few bites of her rice.

Panchy eyes widened briefly, showing her elusive aqua irises, "No he didn't! Well we knew this day would come. He's at that age."

"Mom! I don't want to talk about Mai," Trunks wailed, hiding his face in his hands, "This is so embarrassing."

Dr. Briefs patted the young boy on the head. He lit a pipe, smoking it contently as Panchy put out her dessert cakes. Trunks trained his eyes on the last grains of rice in his bowl instead of the adults' incessant teasing.

"You have feelings for this Mai girl?" Vegeta asked, mildly interested.

Trunks flashed an expression of surprise at the question, but nodded subtly, "She's just very cool. She's smart and really good with a gun. She's a genius with weapons like Mom is with her inventions."

"She's been trained in different weapons?" Vegeta inquired, impressed with the little Earthling.

Trunks nodded his head again. The pride in Vegeta's voice gave the boy more confidence in his choice. Bulma smiled at her son.

"She sounds like a lovely girl, sweetheart. You should invite her over for dinner. You know, there's nothing wrong with having a crush. I know I had my fair share," comforted Bulma.

Panchy agreed with a wry grin, "When Bulma was young, she was obsessed with marrying a prince. Having the 'perfect boyfriend' was her biggest wish. Well, that and eating the perfect strawberry."

Trunks laughed, turning to his mom, "The perfect strawberry? Really Mom?"

Bulma shrugged with a chuckle, "Don't judge me, mister. I was young."

Panchy passed a slice of strawberry cake to her husband; Dr. Briefs put away his pipe and added, "I remember that so well. Bulma was always so attracted to a typical bad boy type who would simultaneously be her sweet and loyal Prince Charming. I thought it was far-fetched, but stranger things have happened, right dear?"

Vegeta's smug gaze slid to Bulma, "A bad boy prince charming? Sounds exactly like you."

The tips of Bulma's ears tinted pink in color as she took a bite out of her cake. A dollop of frosting clung to her cheek, drawing the prince's attention. He picked up his napkin and swiped the buttercream away.

Vegeta smirked, wagging the napkin in front of Bulma's face, "How were you expecting a prince to court you with such poor manners?"

Bulma reciprocated his look and stuck out her tongue, "That's rich! You of all people are giving me etiquette lessons? I think a bit of frosting is fine. We watched you practically inhale that second roast earlier. I'm lucky to get anything to eat."

"Oh, is that why you hoard that chicken ramen you adore so much?" Vegeta teased, lips ticked up, "I find your hiding places all the time."

"Oh you like the ramen too!" Bulma laughed, slapping Vegeta's pecs lightly, "Besides I have to hide food with all you hungry Saiyans around."

Vegeta smirked, a little looser. He loosened the ombre tie before discarding it completely. He unbuttoned a few buttons of his dress shirt and Bulma's eyes drew to his bare skin like a moth to the flame. The Saiyan grunted in response. He didn't speak, but his eyes held a smoldering warmth as he finished his cake. Trunks smiled, shaking his head. Moments like this, it seemed more like he was the adult of the group, but he enjoyed watching the tension ease from his mentor's face when he joked with his mother. He loved hearing his mom laugh away the stress lines from their previous life. It was as if Bulma had been reborn; she emitted a light that had been hidden away for so long. Now that Trunks could truly see her shining in her field, he was determined that they would never return to how things once were for them. Panchy and Dr. Briefs watched the two before the couple exchanged a knowing smile.

Dr. Briefs hinted, "I guess our Bulma's wish wasn't so far-fetched in the end. She found him after all, huh sweetie?"

Yamcha laughed giddily, thinking the Briefs were referring to him, "Heh, heh I guess she did."

Yamcha reached to hold Bulma's hand. Imperceptibily, Bulma shifted her body and reached for some of the dirty dishes. Yamcha's hand clawed at the table cloth. He looked at Vegeta to see if the Saiyan had noticed what had taken place. Vegeta noticed the man's eyes on him and shot the man a patronizing smirk when Trunks asked a question. The quiver in his voice illuminated the child's nervous mood.

"How would I know if she likes me back? How do I tell her I like her?"

Trunks questioned; hopeful blue eyes looked upon his mentor, confidence barely skirting to the surface of his impression.

"I mean, Bulma yells at me a lot. When I first met her, it scared me at first but, I'm used to the abuse by now," Yamcha joked.

Bulma shot a glare at Yamcha. She shoved his arm away when he tried to hug her as an apology. Vegeta let out a deprecating laugh.

"What's so funny over there?" spat Yamcha, nursing his hurt ego.

Vegeta's grin widened, "Abuse, huh? Perhaps you simply can't handle a strong-willed woman, weakling."

Bulma sighed. She rubbed her temples with a groan. Despite her best efforts, the men on both sides of her were determined to fight. Yamcha turned his attention back to the lavender-haired Saiyan.

"Listen, Trunks. If you like this girl, let her know, unless she has a crazy strong boyfriend or something," the scar faced man grinned.

Vegeta frowned, "Why would that matter? Trunks, don't shy away from anything or anyone."

"Come on. Trunks is just a kid. He doesn't need trouble, right Bulma?" coaxed Yamcha.

Bulma held up her hands in defeat and began to gather up the dishes with her mother, "Don't bring me into it now. You never listen to me anyway."

Yamcha rolled his eyes, "You don't have to be dramatic. I was just saying if Trunks wants to use his words, fine. It's a huge mistake to go around picking fights over some girl."

"She's not just some girl," Trunks refuted quietly.

Yamcha wasn't listening to Trunks. He was too focused on the Saiyan laughing at his advice. He jumped out of his seat, knocking the chair to the floor. Bulma popped her head out from the kitchen at the noise.

Vegeta chuckled, "Yes?"

"What's so funny about what I said? What do you do if a stronger guy hurts your woman, oh great prince?"

"You fight him," Vegeta said absolutely.

Yamcha scoffed, "What if he's stronger? Like if you didn't stand a chance?"

"I would fight for her. What does it matter who's stronger? No one would dare hurt her while I was alive," Vegeta stated passionately.

Bulma couldn't help but smile at Vegeta's words. She noted the look of pure reverence displayed on Trunks's face as he listened to Vegeta's speech. Yamcha picked up the chair, reclaiming his seat.

"Yeah, that's big talk, but that's the thing. You may not be alive," Yamcha muttered.

For the first time, Vegeta looked Yamcha in the eyes, serious once more, "I would rather die a man than live a coward."

The room quieted to hushed awe. Dr. Briefs grinned at the sentiment, nodding in agreement and Panchy took a seat beside him. Yamcha shrunk back under Vegeta's look. He spoke with such conviction and certainty, but it was easy for him. He was a prince and elite fighter, Yamcha reasoned. Vegeta had strength, money and fame. How many people truly opposed him?

"You know, it's easy to say that with all you have. You make it sound like it's stupid to even weigh out the options."

Vegeta shrugged, tired of giving the male any more of his time, "For me, failure is never an option in anything I do, but I understand your hesitation. Your power is a façade. Mine is the real deal."

"Prince Vegeta, you're so cool," Trunks gushed, eyes aglow.

With that final remark, Vegeta stood and walked up to Dr. Briefs. Bulma slipped back to the dining room. She avoided eye contact with Yamcha. Instead, she ruffled through her bag and pulled out her notes for a few battle suit upgrades she'd been contemplating. She handed the notes to her father as Vegeta spoke.

"I didn't come here merely for a meal. I'm here to see your prototypes for our new Saiyan armory. We are in need of technology comparable to that of the Tuffles."

Dr. Briefs stood with a stretch and beckoned the group to follow him outside to the backyard.

"Bulma is more of the weapons producer, but I have some things that I believe will interest you. What is Planet Vegeta like?"

"It is similar to your deserts," Vegeta grumbled simply, "Dry, hot, and heavy. Its gravity is at least ten times heavier than your planet."

Dr. Briefs's eyes brightened as he pulled a capsule out of his pocket. He pressed the capsule's button and tossed it. A poof of smoke revealed a small spacecraft. Trunks ran up to the craft and pressed his face against the window, looking inside.

"Wow, Grandpa! You made this?" Trunks asked.

Vegeta walked up to the disk looking craft and tapped the metal. Dr. Briefs walked up behind him. He relit his pipe before speaking.

"I did, Trunks. Prince Vegeta, I understand you will need a bigger craft, but take a look at this. This is an early version, but I plan to make this expandable. Now this prototype includes a small training room. How durable it is depends on how often you train."

"I train every day," Vegeta remarked, prying open the door.

"I commend your assiduous nature, son," Dr. Briefs answered brightly.

Vegeta walked through the door, followed by Trunks. The spacecraft was deceivingly larger on the inside than it appeared. Trunks ran around the room, touching all the buttons before Bulma chastised him. She stood at the door with Yamcha, peering inside. Vegeta hadn't commented; he merely moved from room to room, arms folded. While it would have appeared that the prince was displeased, Bulma knew the opposite. When Vegeta wasn't happy, the whole world knew it. His silence meant he was at least content, a trait Dr. Briefs had picked up from the antisocial warrior. Dr. Briefs led the four to the control panel.

"Here is how you will guide the ship. I'm updating some specifications now for the autopilot. Just a few more tweaks and I'll have it ready for deep space," the doctor opened up his notepad, showing Vegeta the markings written over his schematics.

Vegeta poured over the writings, flipping lazily through the pages. One particular page caught his eye and he stopped. Trunks walked over to the two men. He stood on his tip toes, trying to see what had captured the Saiyan's attention.

"These notes you've written here. You're referring to the xholic algorithm?" Vegeta asked.

Dr. Briefs stared a the man a moment before a wide grin appeared with an enthusiastic laugh, "Yes, the very same! We don't get a lot of young men here that know about that. I hope you'll indulge me a little."

Bulma smiled and walked into the room. She stood between Trunks and Vegeta, admiring her father's handy work. Yamcha scurried behind her, not so subtly squeezing between Bulma and the Saiyan. Vegeta scowled, elbowing the man away from him before returning his arms to their folded position. Yamcha glared, rubbing his side before he sought Dr. Briefs attention. He wasn't going to let Vegeta impress his future father-in-law.

"Oh yeah, the xholic algorithm. That's about…electricity, right Dr. Briefs?" Yamcha asked.

Vegeta rolled his eyes, "Fool, it's about black holes interacting with the seismic waves created by shifts on other planets. The sound waves completely alter our navigation on our pods. You created a way to navigate around them more easily?"

Bulma heard a childish excitement in Vegeta's voice as he asked the question. She had seriously underestimated his understanding of science, believing that he was humoring her while she explained different theories. Surprisingly, he had remarkable depth beyond fighting and eating, despite Vegeta's claims to the contrary.

"Wow, I didn't know you knew about space stuff like that" Trunks exclaimed, "How do the black holes mess up your navigation?"

"The black hole itself is invisible," Vegeta explained, "The only warning is the hole drawing gas into its center. The gravitational pull is extraordinary so even if we are miles away, the black hole could cause our pods to be pulled from our coordinates or destroyed under the gravitation pressure. Dr. Briefs, have you found a way to stop this?"

The doctor's eyes twinkled brightly, "Even better! I've figured out how to harness the black hole's latent energy as a source of fuel! You'll be able to stay on your path and use the hole's energy to travel farther for longer!"

Dr. Briefs ushered Vegeta to the tv monitor and began breaking down the intricacies of his invention with vigor. Vegeta listened intently, nodding when appropriate. Yamcha stayed back, but peered at the two, struggling to understand the invention.

Vegeta commented, "I remember coming across this finding in some readings, but it didn't make much sense to me. I'm no scientist."

"Yeah, you're more of the blow things up type of guy," Yamcha mumbled, earning a glare from both Bulma and Trunks.

"Precisely. Want me to start with you?" Vegeta asked with a smirk, holding up his hand.

"I'm joking. Geez, so uptight."

Vegeta looked around the ship, "Is it that device there?"

Dr. Briefs grinned," Righto, my boy! Good eye!"

"I've been in a lot of ships," the prince stated dismissively.

"No need for modesty," Dr. Briefs laughed and gave Vegeta a hearty pat on the back before turning to Bulma, "I like this new boyfriend of yours! Don't you agree, Panchy?"

Bulma paled as her eyes darted between Yamcha and Vegeta, "No, Dad-"

Yamcha stepped forward and cleared his throat, "Actually, I'm her boyfriend, Dr. Briefs. I'm hoping to be more actually."

Panchy smiled, walking next to her husband, "Oh Bulma hadn't mentioned you in weeks so we thought something happened. I'm glad you're able to stay friends though, especially with her dating Mr. Prince Vegeta."

"We're more than friends! I proposed!" Yamcha fired back before shifting his aggravation toward Bulma, "You didn't tell them I proposed? That was the whole reason for this dinner."

Bulma wrung her hands, willing herself to look him in the eye, "I was waiting for the right time. Can we discuss this in private?"

"You still haven't given me your answer," Yamcha murmured, "I know you were nervous, but I thought this dinner would change things."

"I wasn't nervous. You don't listen," Bulma started.

"If you proposed weeks ago and she hasn't said yes, you have your answer," Vegeta chimed in spitefully.

Yamcha stomped up to Vegeta and pointed for the door, "Hey, can I talk to you outside? Man to man?"

The Saiyan Prince smirked, his fingers twitching at the thought of a fight, "That depends. What man will be speaking for you?"

Yamcha refused to take the bait and trudged out the door. Vegeta threw off his suit jacket and passed it to Trunks. Bulma grabbed his elbow. Her trembling lip revealed her worry for Yamcha's safety. She didn't want to marry him, but that didn't mean she wanted Vegeta to kill him.

Vegeta waved away her anxiety, "If the Beta watches what he says, he'll be fine. Stop worrying."

Vegeta walked outside the pod, followed by the Briefs family. Dr. Brief recapsuled his prototype and returned inside. Trunks ran inside, but pressed himself against the glass to watch. Bulma began to walk toward the man, but her mom pulled her away.

"There are just some things the guys have to handle on their own, dear. I'm sure they'll be fine."

Yamcha leaned against the Briefs home wall, attempting to express a nonchalance, "Listen here. I'm not afraid of you. You might be stronger, but you can't beat me when it comes to love so just quit."

Vegeta folded his arms with another deprecating sneer, "The real pity is you actually believe that."

"I love her," Yamcha pressed, pushing himself from the wall.

"Perhaps, but she doesn't love you and that's what matters."

The human scoffed, "Oh yeah? How do you know that? I'm not going to have some shrimp with a crush belittle our relationship."

Yamcha's attitude had been entertaining, but Vegeta was quickly seeing that the coward had no intention to fight him and spat, "There is no relationship. You're nothing."

"I'm Bulma's boyfriend," Yamcha countered proudly, "We're getting married soon so get used to me."

"Yamcha, was it?" the prince asked smugly, "Your name never came up when she was in my bed."

Yamcha staggered back, "W-What? What are you talking about?"

"You're not that stupid, are you? Give up. She stopped being your woman the moment I got involved with her," Vegeta spoke, emboldened.

"You're lying," said the small voice that escaped Yamcha's lips.

He wasn't stupid. He saw all too well how Bulma had been acting toward him as of late. The dinner had been the eyeopener. Yamcha had noticed lingering stares between the two at dinner. He noticed the way Bulma blushed when their hands would touch accidently after passing a plate. The manner the two spoke was that of comfort and effortless and he saw how Bulma softened the prince's rough creases. Trunks looked at Vegeta with nothing less than pure admiration. Even Bulma's parents had warmed up to Vegeta. In one night, Vegeta had weaseled himself in a role that Yamcha thought was rightly his. No, he wasn't stupid. He saw everything all too clearly.

"You wish I was lying. I know my woman inside and out. From the way she mews and squeezes her toes when she's about to cum to the way her hair falls a certain way after sex every time. I know the way she likes having her neck kissed as she falls asleep," Vegeta answered taking a step forward, "And I know you can't hope to compete with me."

Yamcha's eyes darted to Bulma watching from afar. He grit his teeth. Her brow furrowed as she nibbled nervously on her thumb, but her eyes weren't on him. They were watching Vegeta. She didn't care if he was angry or hurt as long as her prince was alright. Yamcha seethed.

"Whore," Yamcha spat under his breath.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, "Leave now before I make you."

Yamcha was not a fighter. He knew all too well how he would fare against the Saiyan. Without a word, Yamcha pushed past Vegeta and headed for his car. Bulma jogged out to meet Vegeta.

"What happened? What did you say?" she asked.

Vegeta's hand skirted to Bulma's side before resting along the arch of her lower back. Bulma snuggled into his touch. The scent of his cologne waned and the natural scent of pine and amber tickled her nose. Bulma's eyes casted another look at where Yamcha had left. Vegeta's sharp eyes caught some movement in his peripheral. The Saiyan's eyes cut over Bulma's shoulder. Yamcha had halted just outside the backyard gate, eyes gaping with astonishment. Every sinew muscle in Vegeta's body screamed to destroy this threat, meager as he may be. His stance stiffened. Vegeta smiled, baring his teeth in predatory warning at the man. Yamcha stood at the exit, rocking on the balls of his feet. His hands clenched, but he made no movement toward the couple.

Bulma spoke, drawing Vegeta's attention back to her, "Don't fight him, alright? He looks scared enough as is."

Vegeta gazed down at the pretty scientist and mumbled, "He can make his own choices, but he better be ready to pay for them. Just know this. I refuse to share you with anyone."

Vegeta's hold tightened slightly and Bulma nodded. Yamcha glared, but slammed the gate and entered his car. Bulma sighed, burying her face in Vegeta's shirt.

"Well, that could have gone better," she murmured.

"It went as it needed," Vegeta said with an air of finality.

Noting the fatiqued sadness lingering in her eyes, Vegeta sighed. He glanced around the backyard, making sure he wasn't being watched. Gingerly, he lifted Bulma's chin and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Sorry," Vegeta said so quietly Bulma almost didn't hear him.

Bulma gave him a watery smile, cupping his cheeks. Vegeta returned it with a sheepish smirk of his own. A lavender haired boy creaked open the backyard door with a Cheshire grin.

"You DO like each other! I knew it! I knew it, "Trunks cheered, running up to the adults.

Vegeta jumped back, releasing his hold on Bulma. Trunks's eyes shone, watching the two. Bulma hugged him gently.

"Trunks, I see that look in your eyes. I don't want you getting ahead of yourself-" Bulma began before Vegeta cut her off.

"Don't sneak up on us, you little twerp!" Vegeta gnashed, unable to hide his growing blush.

Trunks laughed and folded his hands behind his head, "I can't help it. You did teach me to be more stealthy."

Vegeta lifted his hand and sent a ki blast at Trunks's feet. The boy jumped up, narrowly missing the attack. Bulma put her hands on her hips.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm teaching the boy another move. Dodge!"

Vegeta threw a barrage of low energy ki blasts, sending Trunks running. The boy dodged, jumping over bushes and zig zagging around trees. Vegeta chased after him, ignoring Bulma's cries to be careful. All the while, Trunks laughed, unable to contain the glee he felt after so long.

"Lively ones, aren't they?" Panchy asked her husband, watching the game of tag from the window.

Dr. Briefs smoked his pipe with a chuckle, "That's certainly an understatement, but I think he'll fit in with our family just fine."

**Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think. I'm hoping to have the next chapter out by the end of March if it isn't as long as these last couple chapters have been. We'll see if I can wrap it up and yes, the next chapter will reveal that Trunks is Vegeta's son. Everyone, please stay safe and make the best of what the new year has to offer us!**


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